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Tarleton State University Libraries Unit 5
SEARCHING THE CATALOG
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The following sections explain ways to focus searches in the libraries' online catalog:

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WORDS OR PHRASE (KEYWORD) SEARCH
Using the words or phrase (keyword) option will search the whole bibliographic record (subject, author, title, notes, etc.) for the search terms and is usually the preferred and most successful choice.
Note: You can use all the search tips given in Unit 4 in this search: phrase searches, boolean operators, nested terms, truncation, and wildcard searches.
  1. Choose the Quick Search or Power Search interface.
  2. Select "words or phrase" from the drop-down menu next to the search box.
  3. Type the term(s) you want to use in the search box.
    Note: If you want to use more than one word in your search, use the search tips given in Unit 4.
  4. Set any other desired limits: location, type, publication date, etc.
  5. Click the "Search" button.
  6. If the search does not produce a list of records and reverts to the browse list, look at the list to see if any of the listed terms are comparable to your search terms. If so, click on a term to run a search.

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AUTHOR SEARCH
This option lets you search for items using an author's name (first name, last name, or initials). It retrieves items by an author along with items by other authors that contain works by the author you seek.
Note: You can successfully use some of the search tips given in Unit 4 in this search: phrase searches, truncation, and wildcard searches.
  1. Choose the Quick Search or Power Search interface.
  2. Select "Author" from the drop-down menu next to the search box.
  3. Type the author's name in the search box. The sequence in which you type the author's name does not matter; however, spelling does.
    NOTE: If an author's last name is unique (e.g. Twain), you can use only the last name with success. If the author published under multiple names (i.e. Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens), you should search using all pen names; the catalog does not always cross-reference or connect pen names with real names. If you want to search for more than one author's name at a time, use the search tips in Unit 4.
  4. Set any other desired limits: location, type, publication date, etc.
  5. Click the "Search" button.
  6. If the search does not produce a list of records and reverts to the browse list, look at the list to see if the author's name appears on the list. If so, click on the name to run a search.
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TITLE SEARCH
This option lets you search for an item using its title (either the whole title or parts of the title).
Note: You can use all the search tips given in Unit 4 in this search: phrase searches, boolean operators, nested terms, truncation, and wildcard searches.
  1. Select "Title" in the drop-down menu next to the search box.
  2. Type the title in the search box. You do not need to capitalize words in the title.
    Note: If titles begin with articles (a, an, the), conjunctions (and, but), or prepositions (by, in, on), omit these words from your search or enclose them in double quotation marks. Otherwise the catalog's search mechanism will ignore them and could cause your search to be faulty.
    For known titles: Enclose the title in single quotations to activate a phrase search. (for example, 'environmental tqm')
    For titles you're not sure about:     Use the words you think are in the title as your search terms. (for example, managerial and techniques)
  3. Leave the "Keyword" button activated.
    Note: This option will retrieve all items containing your search terms, and you can browse the results list to look for the title you want. The "Exact" button limits searches. It may not retrieve titles as well as phrase searching would when using the keyword option.
  4. Set any other desired limits: location, type, publication date, etc.
  5. Click the "Search" button.
  6. If the search does not produce a list of records and reverts to the browse list, look at the list to see if the title you want appears on the list. If so, click on the title to run a search.
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SUBJECT SEARCH
This option lets you search for items using Library of Congress subject headings and requires that you use the exact terms that were used as subject headings in the item records.
Note: You CAN NOT use any of the search tips given in Unit 4 in a subject search. You can ONLY use exact subject search terms.
  1. Select "Subject" in the drop-down menu next to the search box.
  2. In the search box, type the subject term(s) you want to search.
    You can determine subject terms by consulting a subject headings list like Library of Congress Subject Headings or by looking at the subject terms listed in the records of previously found items related to the topic you are researching.
  3. Set any other desired limits: location, type, publication date, etc.
  4. Click the "Search" button.
  5. If the search does not produce a list of records and reverts to the browse list, look at the list to see if the subject you want appears on the list. If so, click on a term to display a list of approved subject headings. Finally, click on a listed subject heading to run a subject search.
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SERIES SEARCH
This option lets you search for items using a series title (either the whole title or parts of the title).
Note: You can use all the search tips given in Unit 4 in this search: phrase searches, boolean operators, nested terms, truncation, and wildcard searches.
  1. Select "Series" from the drop-down menu next to the search box.
  2. Type the series title in the search box. You do not need to capitalize words in the title.
    Note: If series titles begin with articles (a, an, the), conjunctions (and, but), or prepositions (by, in, on), omit these words from your search or enclose them in double quotation marks. Otherwise the catalog's search mechanism will ignore them and can cause your search to be faulty.
    For a known series title: Enclose the series title in single quotations to activate a phrase search. (for example, 'jossey-bass business & management')
    For a series title you're not sure about: Use the words you think are in the title as your search terms. (for example, business and management)
  3. Leave the "Keyword" button activated.
    Note: This option will retrieve all items containing your search terms, and you can browse the results list to look for the series title you want. The "Exact" button limits searches. It may not retrieve titles as well as phrase searching would when using the keyword option.
  4. Set any other desired limits: location, type, publication date, etc.
  5. Click the "Search" button.
  6. If the search does not produce a list of records and reverts to the browse list, look at the list to see if the series title appears on the list. If so, click on the title to run a search.
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PERIODICAL TITLE SEARCH
This option lets you search for a periodical by title (either the whole title or parts of the title).
Note: You can use all the search tips given in Unit 4 in this search: phrase searches, boolean operators, nested terms, truncation, and wildcard searches.
  1. Select "Periodical Title" in the drop-down menu next to the search box.
  2. Type the title in the search box. You do not need to capitalize words in the title.
    Note: If titles begin with articles (a, an, the), conjunctions (and, but), or prepositions (by, in, on), omit these words from your search or enclose them in double quotation marks. Otherwise the catalog's search mechanism will ignore them and could cause your search to be faulty.
    For known titles: Enclose the periodical title in single quotations to activate a phrase search. (for example, 'ima journal of management mathematics')
    For titles you're not sure about: Use the words you think are in the title as the search terms. (for example, business and management)
  3. Leave the "Keyword" button activated.
    Note: This option will retrieve all items containing your search terms, and you can browse the results list to look for the title you want. The "Exact" button limits searches. It may not retrieve titles as well as phrase searching would when using the keyword option.
  4. Set any other desired limits: location, publication date, language, etc.
  5. Click the "Search" button.
  6. If the search does not produce a list of records and reverts to the browse list, look at the list to see if the periodical title you want appears on the list. If so, click on its title to run a search.
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Updated 8/2004