Advanced Search 

Advanced Search Tips

  1. Enter your search term(s) in the Search box(es):
    • Capitalization does not matter.
    • Use a percent sign ( % ) as a single-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: wom%n
      Note: If your search term contains a percent sign, remove the %. Enter 5% Nation as 5 Nation
    • Use a question mark ( ? ) for truncation (different forms of a root word) and as a multiple-character wildcard, either inside or at the end of a search word: entrepr? or col?r
    • Most punctuation marks (hyphens, slashes, periods, etc.) are replaced by spaces. Because spaces are used to divide words, remove hyphens from ISBN but not ISSN number searches. Enter 0394487249 for ISBN 0-394-48724-9, but enter 0028-7806 for ISSN 0028-7806
  2. Select all of these, any of these, or as a phrase from the drop-down list to specify how you want multiple words to be combined.
    • Use all of these – not as a phrase – to combine search terms found in different components of fields, for example: personal names with birth/death dates (Jordan Michael 1963), corporate names with parts (United States Congress), titles with subtitles or parts (Star wars. VI, Return of the Jedi), or subjects with subdivisions (United States History)
    • Use as a phrase to search for terms found within – not across – subfields, for example: Jordan Michael or Return of the Jedi
  3. Narrow the scope of your search by changing Keyword Anywhere (GKEY) to the index of your choice in the next drop-down list (after within).
  4. Add to your search by selecting a Boolean operator (AND, OR, NOT) and entering more search terms.
  5. Refine your search by adding limits.