Simple Search

You can search for records using the LocatorPlus Simple Search or Advanced Menu options. Details of the Advanced Menu Search are also available in LocatorPlus Help.

1. To do a Simple Search, enter your word(s) or phrases in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Then select the appropriate type of search in the As: box. Your choices are:
   
   
   • Keyword Anywhere -- (enclose phrases in quotes)
   • Title -- (word or phrase: omit initial articles - e.g. - a, an, the)
   • Journal Title -- (omit initial articles - e.g. a, an, the)
   • Pubmed Title Abbreviation (enter exact abbreviation)
   • Subject -- (includes MeSH terms)
   • Author -- (enter personal names as last name, first)
   • Name as Subject -- (enter personal or corporate names)
   • Call Number -- (include punctuation and spaces)
   
   --------------MORE KEYWORD SEARCHES BELOW------------------
   
   
   • Keyword Combination -- (combine terms with AND, OR, NOT)
   • Keyword (automatic AND)
   • Keyword (automatic OR)
   • Keyword Relevance (automatic AND)
   • Name Keyword (automatic AND)
   • Name Keyword (automatic OR)
   • Subject Keyword (automatic AND)
   • Subject Keyword (automatic OR)
   • Title Keyword (automatic AND)
   • Title Keyword (automatic OR)
   
   --------------HEADING AND AUTHORITY SEARCHES BELOW---------
   
   
   • Name Heading Keyword
   • Name/Title Heading Keyword
   • Series Heading Keyword
   • Subject Heading Keyword
   • Browse MARC Name Authority
   • Browse MARC Name/Title Authority
   • Browse MARC Subject Authority
   • Browse MARC Title Authority

   If you are not sure which one to use, first try Keyword Anywhere. See more detailed descriptions of these search types in the appropriate section below.

   Wildcard characters and punctuation marks you can use are:

   • Question mark (?): represents no characters or multiple characters
   • Percent (%): substitute for one character, multiples can be used
   • Quotation marks (""): enclose phrases
   • Plus sign (+): indicates essential terms
   • Asterisk (*): indicates an important term
     
     
3. Click the Search button to proceed with your search. To clear the searching criteria you have typed in and begin entering again, click the Reset button.
   
   
4. It is possible to modify a simple search from the results page by using the Simple Search block at the top and bottom of the results lists.

   The Simple Search block is especially useful when you need to correct a typographical error, change the search term(s), change the search type, add quick limits, or change the number of records displayed on the results page.

Keyword Anywhere -- (enclose phrases in quotes)

A Keyword Anywhere search looks for words located anywhere in a bibliographic record. For example, a search on the word neurons would return all of the titles that contain the word neurons anywhere in the record (e.g., in the title, in the subject headings, in the notes).

Results from a Keyword Anywhere search are displayed in the Keyword Titles Index. The Keyword Titles Index displays the type of search, the title(s) found, author, and dates.

To perform a Keyword Anywhere search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Keyword Anywhere" as the type of search under As:
   
   
3. If you wish, select a limit option in the drop-down box labeled Quick Limit Option for Keyword, Title, or Journal Title Search. This box lists the most commonly-used limits. Additional limits are available in the system; click the Set Limits Before Searching button to see all of them. Note: You should set your limits before you type in your search terms. See the Limits Help page for further information.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.
   
   

Title -- (word or phrase: omit initial articles - e.g. a, an, the)

When you do a Title search, the system does a keyword phrase search in the title field. So if you entered drug addiction, your results would list all of the records that have the phrase drug addiction somewhere in the title.

Search results from Title searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

To perform a Title search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Title" as the type of search under As:
   
   
3. If you wish, select a limit option in the Quick Limit Option for Keyword, Title, or Journal Title Search. This box lists the most commonly-used limits. Additional limits are available in the system; click the Set Limits Before Searching button to see all of them. Note: You should set your limits before you type in your search terms. See the Limits Help page for further information.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.
   
   

Note: If you do not know the exact title or word order of the journal title, the Title Keyword (automatic AND) search can be useful.

Journal Title -- (omit initial articles - e.g. a, an, the)

Journal Title searches scan an index and return every title that begins with the search term(s) that you entered. So if you entered psychology, the results would list the journal titles whose first word is psychology, such as Psychology, Psychology and Human Development, and Psychology Quarterly.

Note: you can also search for valid MEDLINE journal title abbreviations in the Journal Title Search.

Search results from Journal Title searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

To perform a Journal Title search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Journal Title" as the type of search under As:.
   
   
3. If you wish, select a limit option in the Quick Limit Option for Keyword, Title, or Journal Title Search. This box lists the most commonly-used limits. Additional limits are available in the system; click the Set Limits Before Searching button to see all of them. Note: You should set your limits before you type in your search terms. See the Limits Help page for further information.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.
   
   

Note: If you do not know the exact title or word order of the journal title, the Title Keyword (automatic AND) search can be useful.

PubMed Title Abbreviation (enter exact abbreviation)

PubMed Title Abbreviation searches scan an index and return every PubMed title abbreviation that begins with the search term(s) that you entered. So if you entered am j med, the results would list the journal titles whose PubMed title abbreviation begins with am j med, such as Am J Med, AM J Med Electron, and Am J Med Genet.

The PubMed Title Abbreviation search is particularly useful in reducing the number of hits when searching one-word journal titles you know are indexed in MEDLINE/PubMed. If you enter neurology you will retrieve many records with a Journal Title search, but a very small number in a PubMed Title Abbreviation search.

Search results from PubMed Title Abbreviation searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

To perform a PubMed Title Abbreviation search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "PubMed Title Abbreviation" as the type of search under As:.
   
   
3. If you wish, select a limit option in the Quick Limit Option for Keyword, Title, or Journal Title Search. This box lists the most commonly-used limits. Additional limits are available in the system; click the Set Limits Before Searching button to see all of them. Note: You should set your limits before you type in your search terms. See the Limits Help page for further information.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.
   
   

Note: You can also search for valid MEDLINE journal title abbreviations in the Journal Title search.

Subject -- (includes MeSH terms)

Subject searches scan an index and return every title whose Subject Headings begin with the search term(s) that you entered. A Subject Search of the term Hippocrates would result in hits that contain Hippocrates in the Subject Heading, meaning they would be titles about Hippocrates.

Subject searches primarily use MeSH (Medical Subject Headings).

Search results from a subject search are displayed in the Headings Index. The Headings Index displays the number of titles associated with each heading under the Titles column, the heading name under the Headings column, and the type of heading under the Headings Type column. The first column of the Headings Index also contains links to Scope Notes and/or See/See Also notes that help you find more information about a specific heading or direct you to the correct heading to use.

To perform a Subject search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Subject Search" as the type of search under As:
   
   
3. Limiting is not available for Subject searches.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records that are displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu. Subject and Author searches work best when the number of records per page is set at 50 or fewer.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.

Note: The Subject Heading Keyword search can be useful when you do not know the word order of a subject heading term.

Author -- (enter personal names as last name, first)

Author searches scan an index and return every title whose author names begin with the search term(s) that you entered. An Author search with the term Hippocrates would result in hits that have Hippocrates in the author field, meaning they would be titles by Hippocrates.

When entering a personal name, type the last name first, and then the first initial, e.g., nightingale, f

Search results from a Author search are displayed in the Headings Index. The Headings Index displays the number of titles associated with each heading under the Titles column, the heading name under the Headings column, and the type of heading under the Headings Type column. The first column of the Headings Index also contains links to Scope Notes and/or See/See Also notes that help you find more information about a specific heading or direct you to the correct heading to use.

To perform an Author search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Author" as the type of search under As:
   
   
3. Limiting is not available for Author searches.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records that are displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu. Subject and Author searches work best when the number of records per page is set at 50 or fewer.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.

Note: The Name Heading Keyword search can be useful when you do not know the exact form of a name.

Name as Subject -- (enter personal or corporate names)

Name as Subject searches scan an index and return every title whose Subject Headings begin with the search term(s) that you entered. You can enter personal names, corporate names, or meeting names in the Name as Subject search type.

A Name as Subject search with the term Hippocrates would result in hits that contain Hippocrates in the subject field, meaning they would be titles about Hippocrates.

Search results from a Name as Subject search are displayed in the Titles Index.

When entering a personal name, type the last name first, and then the first initial, e.g., nightingale, f

Search for works about institutions or other corporate bodies by entering the name of the organization, e.g.: National Library of Medicine; Nestle Company; American Medical Association; United Nations.

To perform a Name as Subject search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Name as Subject" as the type of search under As:
   
   
3. Limiting is not available for Name as Subject searches.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records that are displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.

Note: The Subject Heading Keyword search or Name Heading Keyword search can be useful when you do not know the word order of a name you want to search.

Call Number -- (include punctuation and spaces)

Call Number searches scan an index and return every title whose call numbers begin with the numbers that you entered. For example, a Call Number Search for WZ results in hits that begin with WZ.

Be careful with Call Number searches - a search for WM 30 will only find items that begin with WM 30; it will not find items that begin with WM 30.6 or WM 300. Be sure to include any needed punctuation and spacing.

Search results from Call Number searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

To perform an Call Number search:

1. Type the call number that you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Call Number" as the type of search under As:
   
   
3. Limiting is not available for Call Number searches.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records that are displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.

More Keyword Searches

Additional keyword searching options are available to search for keywords that appear anywhere in the bibliographic record, or for keywords that apppear only in the name, subject, or title fields.

Keyword Combination -- (combine terms with AND, OR, NOT)

A Keyword Combination search finds records using the commands and search terms that you enter. Search terms may be from different bibliographic fields, e.g., words from a title and the author's last name.

Search results from Keyword Combination searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

To perform a Keyword Combination search:

1. Type in the terms you want to search in the Search: box using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) and parentheses. You must put quotes around phrases, and type the Boolean operators in uppercase letters. You can use the truncation symbols (?, %).

   For example, you could search for: (aids OR hiv) AND (behavior? OR "risk taking")
   Adams AND Victor AND neurolog?
   wom%n AND nobel AND (prize OR laureate?)
   
   

2. Select "Keyword Combination" as the type of search under As:
   
   

Complete your Keyword Combination search as described in Steps 3-5 above.

Keyword (automatic AND) & Keyword (automatic OR)

A Keyword (automatic AND) or a Keyword (automatic OR) search finds records by combining the search terms that you enter with the specified Boolean command. Search terms can be from different fields in the bibliographic record.

Search results from Keyword (automatic AND) or Keyword (automatic OR) searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

All of the terms you enter in a Keyword (automatic AND) search must appear in the resulting records. For example, you could search for: aids hiv "annual conference". All three terms appear in the resulting records.

Any one or more of the terms you enter in a Keyword (automatic OR) search will appear in the resulting records. For example, you could search for: aids hiv "accquired immunodeficiency syndrome". The resulting records contain at least one of these terms.

To perform a Keyword (automatic AND) or a Keyword (automatic OR) search:

1. Type in the terms you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select either "Keyword (automatic AND)" or "Keyword (automatic OR)" as the type of search under As:
   
   

Complete your Keyword (automatic AND) or Keyword (automatic OR) search as described in Steps 3-5 above.

Keyword Relevance (automatic AND)

A Keyword Relevance (automatic AND) search finds records using the search terms that you entered combined with the AND Boolean operator.

Search results from Keyword Relevance (automatic AND) are displayed in the Titles Index with a relevance column.

To perform a Keyword Relevance (automatic AND) search:

1. Type in the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select "Keyword Relevance (automatic AND)" as the type of search under As:
   
   

Complete your Keyword Relevance (automatic AND) search as described in Steps 3-5 above.

Name Keyword (automatic AND) & Name Keyword (automatic OR)

A Name Keyword (automatic AND) or a Name Keyword (automatic OR) search finds records that have your search terms in the MARC fields that contain personal, corporate, or meeting names. Terms are combined according to the specified Boolean AND or Boolean OR command.

Search results from Name Keyword (automatic AND) or Name Keyword (automatic OR) searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

All of the words you enter in a Name Keyword (automatic AND) search will appear in the name fields of the resulting records. For example, you could search for: international "twin studies". The resulting records will include the meeting and organization names: International Symposium on Twin Studies; International Congress on Twin Studies; International Society on Twin Studies.

Any one or more of the terms you enter in a Name Keyword (automatic OR) search will appear in the resulting records. For example you could search for: "institute of medicine" "smithsonian institution". The resulting records contain either of these organization names.

To perform a Name Keyword (automatic AND) or a Name Keyword (automatic OR) search:

1. Type in the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select either "Name Keyword (automatic AND)" or "Name Keyword (automatic OR)" as the type of search under As:
   
   

Complete your Name Keyword (automatic AND) or Name Keyword (automatic OR) search as described in Steps 3-5 above.

Subject Keyword (automatic AND) & Subject Keyword (automatic OR)

A Subject Keyword (automatic AND) or a Subject Keyword (automatic OR) search finds records that have your search terms in the MARC subject heading fields. Terms are combined according to the specified Boolean AND or Boolean OR command.

Search results from Subject Keyword (automatic AND) or Subject Keyword (automatic OR) searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

You can select Quick Limits or Set Limits Before Searching in Subject Keyword searches.

All of the terms you enter in a Subject Keyword (automatic AND) search will appear in the subject fields of the resulting records. For example, you could search for: mortality statistics hawaii.

Any one or more of the terms you enter in a Subject Keyword (automatic OR) search will appear in the subject fields of the resulting records. For example you could search for: "plants, medicinal" "medicine, herbal" phytotherapy.

To perform a Subject Keyword (automatic AND) or a Subject Keyword (automatic OR) search:

1. Type in the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select either "Subject Keyword (automatic AND)" or "Subject Keyword (automatic OR)" as the type of search under As:
   
   

Complete your Subject Keyword (automatic AND) or Subject Keyword (automatic OR) search as described in Steps 3-5 above.

Title Keyword (automatic AND) & Title Keyword (automatic OR)

A Title Keyword (automatic AND) or a Title Keyword (automatic OR) search finds records that have your search terms in the MARC fields containing title information. Terms are combined according to the specified Boolean AND or Boolean OR command.

Search results from Title Keyword (automatic AND) or Title Keyword (automatic OR) searches are displayed in the Titles Index.

All of the terms you enter in a Title Keyword (automatic AND) search will appear in the title fields of the resulting records. For example, you could search for: aids hiv "annual conference". All three terms appear in the title of the resulting records.

Any one or more of the terms you enter in a Title Keyword (automatic OR) search will appear in the resulting records. For example you could search for: aids hiv "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome". The resulting records contain at least one of these terms in the title field.

To perform a Title Keyword (automatic AND) or a Title Keyword (automatic OR) search:

1. Type in the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select either "Title Keyword (automatic AND)" or "Title Keyword (automatic OR)" as the type of search under As:
   
   

Complete your Title Keyword (automatic AND) or Title Keyword (automatic OR) search as described in Steps 3-5 above.

Heading and Authority Searches

Heading Keyword Searches

All Heading Keyword searches are Browse searches, meaning they scan an index and return every entry that includes the search term(s) that you entered.

Heading Keyword searches are useful in finding entries for names, name/titles, series names or subject headings when you do not know the word order or exact form of the heading.

Search results from a Headings Keyword search are displayed in the Headings Index. The Heading terms appear in alphabetical order; the term(s) you enter may appear at beginning, middle, or end of the heading.

These Heading Searches are available:

• Name Heading Keyword
• Name/Title Heading Keyword
• Series Heading Keyword
• Subject Heading Keyword

To perform a Heading Keyword search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select the type of Heading search under As:
   
   
3. Limiting is not available for Heading Keyword searches.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records that are displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.

Browse MARC Authority Searches

The Browse MARC Authority searches are used to search for authority records. These are authorized headings that establish which forms of names, titles and subjects are used on bibliographic records. In LocatorPlus, you can do authority searches for:

• Name
• Name/Title
• Subject Heading
• Title

All Authority Searches are Browse searches, meaning they scan an index and return every entry that begins with the search term(s) that you entered.

To perform an Authority search:

1. Type the word(s) you want to search in the Search: box.
   
   
2. Select the type of Authority search under As:
   
   
3. Limiting is not available for Authority searches.
   
   
4. The default for the number of records that are displayed on each page is 25, but you can change this by using the (records displayed per page) drop-down menu.
   
   
5. Click the Search button to begin your search. Click the Reset button to clear the search page.