FTC Informal Interpretations - Suggestions on Searching the Database
Scope of the Database
The complete text of each document contained in the letters database is searchable. Keep in mind that many of the letters have been substantially redacted in order to remove information identifying the author and/or any affiliated businesses or organizations. Information which has been removed for this reason has been replaced with a [redacted] indicator.
Each document in the database contains the text of the letter, excluding redactions. In addition, a box has been added to the top of each document containing the name of the FTC staff respondent, his or her response, identification of the applicable Commission rule number, and a link to the PDF image of the original letter.
Running a Basic Search
Enter words or phrases to be searched in the window provided. Separate individual search words using any one of several query operators, which are listed here. To search on a phrase, type in the search window any two or more words separated by a single space.
Searching HSR Rule Numbers:
Commission rules governing the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act are codified in Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 801, 802 and 803. In order to effectively search rule numbers there are several things to keep in mind.
By default, the search engine automatically applies "stemming" to the ends of words so that searching the root merg would pick up references to merger, merging, and merged. Rule numbers appearing within the text of a document are searched in the same way as words. For example, a search on rule number 801 would find references to all further subdivisions of the rule, such as 801.1 or 801.12. However, searching more specifically, on rule 801.1, would not locate references to 801.
Although, as the previous example illustrates, periods (".") are searchable, parentheses are not. When searching on rule numbers which include parentheses, replace parentheses with spaces. For example, rule 801.13(b)(2) should be entered as 801.13 b 2
Order of Documents Retrieved
After a search is submitted, the retrieved documents are ranked according to "relevance" as determined by a complex series of ranking criteria. A simple search on a rule number would rank the resulting documents according to which contained the greatest number of occurrences (i.e., "hits") on the rule number searched.
More complex searches involving the use of query operators (such as AND, <NEAR>, etc.) would result in documents ranked not only according to number of hit occurrences found per document but also according to how close the search words (or phrases) are to each other. Documents in which search terms appear closer together are listed at the top of the search results, while those in which search terms are farther apart are ranked lower.
For example, a search on acquisition AND natural gas might locate two documents, each containing the same number of hit occurrences, however the document in which the terms are located closer together would be ranked higher.
File Naming Conventions
For each document found in a search there are four lines of identifying information provided on the results screen, including the document's HTML title and other data, such as file size, etc. Appearing in three separate instances among this information is a unique seven-digit file name (e.g., 9910011).
Each file name is arrived at through application of a naming convention in which:
- the first two numbers refer to the last two digits of the year the document was created.
- the second two numbers refer to the month in which the document was created.
- the final three numbers are used to provide a unique filename for each document.
Searching by Date
The most effective way of searching by date is by keying on the document creation date indicated by the filename (as described above). Searching in this way permits accuracy to within the month each document was created.
Running a date search requires use of the asterisk ("*") truncation symbol. For example, to locate all letters submitted during the month of February, 2000, enter the following in the search window: 0002*
