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Structured information searching

Block searching

Words related to the significant terms in your query form a search block. Depending on whether you want to make a wide or narrow search, the blocks will differ in size.

The words in the blocks are combined with OR. Truncate and phrase search where suitable.

Then combine the different blocks with AND.

 

Exemple of a wide search
childOR adolescenOR student* OR pupilOR youngOR youthOR teen
OR underageOR "under age*" OR minor*

AND

alcoholism OR "drinking behavior" OR "alcohol drink*" OR "underage drink*" 
OR "binge drink*" OR "alcohol consum*" OR "alcohol use*" OR "alcohol misuse*" 
OR "alcohol abuse*" OR drunk*

 

Exemple of a narrow search
Child* OR Adolescent*

AND

Alcohol*​

 

Combining AND and OR

When you combine a search block containing more words with OR between, together with another search block, it may be useful to know how the database translates your search query.

A search for: alcohol OR drinking AND adolescent OR teen* will for example give another search result than the question: (alcohol OR drinking) AND (adolescent OR teen*).

For the database to be able to translate your search query correctly, i.e. you want all the words with OR between to be able to be combined with one another, you need to place brackets around the words. Otherwise the database will search only for drinking AND adolescent together, while alcohol and teen* are searched for separately.

If you search for the blocks on separate rows in the database’s advanced search, you don’t need to think about placing brackets yourself. Then the database will do this itself, as in the example below.

You can also search for each block separately and then combine them through the search history.