Doing a Keyword Search

You should decide which type of keyword search you want to do before you begin searching. The simplest type of keyword search is to enter a single keyword in the Search for field.

You can also enter multiple terms in the Search for field. This search lets you locate records (such as titles, authors, or subjects) using two or more keywords, as well as Boolean operators (for example, “tropical OR rain forest”). Multiple terms can either narrow or broaden a search.

To use the Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT, you must type them in all capital letters, otherwise the system assumes it is a word to search for. You can also use a minus character (-) immediately before a word instead of NOT. For example, Bears -Chicago is the same as Bears NOT Chicago.

The AND operator is always implied between words unless you enclose the words in quotation marks to indicate that you want to perform a phrase search.

This table lists the different methods of entering a multiple-term search:

To do this

Enter this

Example

Narrow a search

A space or “AND” between each keyword

If you enter “Symphony Orchestra,” Horizon locates records that contain both words.

Broaden a search

“OR” between each keyword

If you enter “Symphony OR Orchestra,” Horizon locates titles with either term.

Using “OR” is helpful to search for terms with variant spellings, such as “Navajo” or “Navaho,” or when you are searching for the plural and singular forms of a word, such as “atlas,” “atlases,” “map,” or “maps.”

Narrow and broaden a search

A combination of the above formats, and parentheses

If you enter “Art (London OR Paris OR Rome),” Horizon locates titles with the word “Art” plus either “London,” “Paris,” or “Rome.”

 

Combined keyword searches may slow the performance of the workstation. SirsiDynix recommends using between four and six indexes to do this type of search. If you need to use more than six indexes in a general keyword search, contact your system administrator.

If you are not sure how to spell a keyword or if you want to find different variations of a keyword, you can enter a truncated, or shortened, form of a keyword. A truncated keyword search lets you broaden your search by replacing one or more characters in a search term with a truncation symbol.

Here are the truncation symbols you can use:

* (Asterisk). Replaces one or more letters. (For example, the term “manag*” could locate records that contain variations of the root “manag,” such as “management,” “manager,” and “managing.”) You can also use an asterisk in the middle of a word to substitute for one or more letters.
? (Question mark). Replaces one letter. (For example, you can enter “computer?” to locate records that contain either “computer” or “computers.”) You can use a question mark in place of a single letter in the middle of a word as well. (For example, you can enter “wom?n” to locate records that contain the terms “woman” or “women.”)

You can truncate words to two or more characters; however, the shorter the truncated term, the more words Horizon locates. Avoid terms such as “co*,” “man*,” or “sta*,” because they may produce lengthy lists of matches.

To do a keyword search

1 Press F2 to access the Main Search window.
2 Choose the keyword search option you want. (For example, choose “Subject Keyword” to search for records on a certain subject. For an explanation of search options, see About Searching.)
3 Enter a single-term, multiple-term, or truncated keyword in the Search for field. (For example, enter “corporate pol*”.)

If you are not sure what keywords you can use, click View Keywords to see a list of possible matches. (For more information, see Viewing a Keyword List.)

4 Click OK or press ENTER.

Horizon displays a list of keyword headings that match your search.

5 Choose the keyword heading that most closely matches your search terms.
6 Click Show Titles.

Horizon displays a list of titles that contain the selected heading. If only one title contains that heading, Horizon displays the Bibliographic Detail window.

7 Move through the search windows to find the information you need. (For instructions, see Searching Paths.)

 


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