Using the Advanced Search feature in Omni Search allows you to conduct a more specific search. Conduct an Advanced Search to search in a variety of fields.
Advanced Search allows you to search by title, author, ISSN and other fields. You can also limit your search to specific types of content such as books and ebooks.
Use synonyms or alternative forms of your keyword. Between each synonym type the Boolean Operator OR. Specify your search field.
Pay attention to spelling variations. Use British OR American OR Canadian spelling variations to ensure you find all materials. For example, counselor OR counsellor.
Use Boolean operators (AND, OR)
Most search engines assume AND comes between your search terms. Library databases are different. If you do not type AND the database assumes you are searching for a phrase.
Narrow or refine your topic by limiting your results to a specific geographical location, group of people, timeframe, etc. Between each word, type the Boolean Operator AND.
For example: apples AND bananas
Use OR to search for the concepts that may could be located under different words.
For example: teen OR teenager OR youth
Often you retrieve more relevant results with a complex search that includes your key concepts and their synonyms.
OR retrieves more results:
Search for 'tv OR television'. Notice, this search has retrieved MORE records that searching 'tv' alone.
AND retrieves FEWER results:
Search for 'tv AND Television'. Notice, this search has retrieved FEWER records than searching 'tv' alone.