Doing a keyword search

The following information describes how to do a keyword search at the Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A&M University.

What is a keyword search?

A keyword search for a word on NOTIS finds the word anywhere within the bibliographical records on NOTIS. More exactly, it finds the word anywhere within the keyword searchable parts of the records that are publically accessable. Within NOTIS records, some fields or parts of a bibliographic record usually having a non-central bibliographic function are not searched in a keyword search.

Using Boolean Logic in searches

Boolean logic can be used in keyword searches, and that allows greater options for finding information. Boolean logic involves the use of AND, OR, and NOT as well as some other terms that are not used as often. In addition, simply putting two words beside each other in a keyword search will search for the words together in the bibliographic records. Different databases use different rules for these adjacency searches, and the order of the words and the number and kind of words inbetween the words affect the results of the search.

One way that boolean logic is explained is through the use of Venn Diagrams. The following Venn Diagram shows the result of using and on the sets trees and evergreen.

trees and evergreen specifies the set of items that are both trees and evergreen. The resulting set is indicated in the picture as the green set labelled "Evergreen Trees". An evergreen shrub would not be included in that set.

You could use the following command to do the same search on NOTIS.

k = trees and evergreen

Some example NOTIS keyword searches

The following are some other keyword searches that show how to look for certain kinds of information.

k = object oriented

look for items with the phrase object oriented

k jacobson.au. and object

look for items with Jacobson listed as the author and the word object anywhere else in the record. The = after the k search identifier is not necessary for a search.

k object.ti. and s.fmt.

look for items that have object in the title and have a serial format

k (object? or modul?) and (programming or programs or language?)

look for records that include words that start with object or modul and also include either the word programming or the word programs or any word starting with language

k computer.su. and object.so.

look for items having the word computer in the subject field and object in the source or journal name field. The .so. tag is useful in searching the Wilson journal article databases on NOTIS.

More about Searching for Online Information

List of how to do things at the Library

Last revised May 26, 1997 by JPF