Research syntax and search tips

Linking search terms in several fields

Link your search terms with the logical operators AND, OR, AND NOT, which can also be combined with each other. The use of operators has different effects on the number of hits:

Linking search terms in one search field

Terms can also be connected to each other inside a search field.

The search terms are linked with AND by default so you no longer need to enter AND. Exception: When searching in the field Exact title the “and” (which appears in the text) must be added to the correct position.
Example: Crime and Punishment

Important: If you enter an and for a search in the field title (words), it must actually exist in the title:
Example:

• Enter title (words) in field: Hansel and Gretel - Result: All titles, which contain these three (!) terms
• Enter title (words) in field: Hansel Gretel - Result: All titles which contain both of these terms in the title, for example, including Hansel likes Gretel
• Enter title (words) in field: Hansel AND Gretel - Result: All titles which contain both of these terms in the title, for example, including Hansel likes Gretel

It is also possible to link with OR
Example:
A search is made for publications which contain ‘interview’ or ‘survey’ in the title.
Enter in the field title (words): interview OR survey

Extending the search spectrum: Truncating

Truncating is mainly use for taking various spelling and word variations of search terms, such as singular and plural forms, into consideration in the search.

This allows you to extend your search to all terms which

• start with a specific word (part): Right truncation
  Example: Bundes* finds Bundesamt, Bundesbank...
• end with a specific word (part): Left truncation
  Example: *otography finds photography, fotography...
• which start and end with specific words (word parts): Medium truncating
  Example: Phootogra*y finds photography, photogrammetry,...

You can use the following wildcards for truncation:

You can also freely combine the wildcards within a search query; the entry M?ham*, for example, gives the results Mohammed, Muhammad, Muhamad etc. thereby covering a range of possible spellings.

Targeted search: Phrase search

With terms consisting of several parts or with frequently occurring author names, it makes sense to mark the search term as a phrase. In this way, the standard AND search is refined even more by requiring the terms in this order to be directly after each other. The search terms must be enclosed by quotation marks (“ “).

Example:
Searched: Title on the subject of Supply Chain Management
Enter title (words): “supply chain management”
Result: All titles in which these terms appear directly after each other in the title.

Example:
Searched: All titles from the author Max Weber
Entry author/editor: “Weber, Max”
Result: Targeted search by author Max Weber - without a phrase search, all titles with which Weber and Max would appear in the author/editor field would be displayed - such as a title from ‘Max Hirschberg. Ed. by Reinhard Weber’

Tips for effective searches

In some cases, your search will not delivery any satisfactory results. The number of hits is too high, too low or too unspecific. This can be caused by several things. The following tips should help you to identify sources of error and to obtain satisfactory search results.

If the hit list does not contain any results, you have the following options:

• Change your search query
• Change the database selection manually
• In the top navigation bar, use the tab for Information - question or message to the library

Notes:

The spelling of one or several search terms is incorrect.

Tip: Check your entries for correct spelling.

There are alternative spellings for the search term.

This happens with proper names in non-Latin languages, for example: “Djihad/jihad” or “Beijing/Peking”, but also with search terms which are written differently in old and new German spelling, or where their root differs in the singular and plural form. Tip: Enter the term truncated (stemming) or use the link with OR.

The chosen search term is too general.

Consequence: The number of hits is too high. Tip: Refine your search over a search query.

Example:
If the surname entry ‘Weber’ delivers too many results, add the first name ‘Max’ as well as a suitable keyword (e.g. Understanding Sociology) or a title word (e.g. ethics), linking the search fields with AND.

Example:
Refine your search query by naming an element: “City development” instead of “city”. Repeat your search query for each term or link the terms with OR (with two search terms or OR with two search terms in one search field).

The selected search term is too specific or not common enough.

Consequence: The number of hits is too low or too unspecific. Tip: Choose a different search term with the same or similar meaning, i.e. synonyms or logical umbrella terms.

Example:
Search for “tool” instead of “hammer”.

Repeat your search query for each term or search by two terms at the same time by combining two search terms with OR. Choose to run the search in the '''basic search' field instead of searching in individual fields.

The subject matter of the selected database is not appropriate to the searched topic.

The OPAC only shows titles which are held in the stack of the university library of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt or the university of the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt - there are, of course, more publications; even the Bavarian Union Catalogue and the PRIMO database “Articles & more” are not complete. Tip: Use the bibliographical databases which are there to systematically and extensively document literature on a research field. To do so, consult the database information system (DBIS) over Additional services to find suitable databases.

The database does not answer.

Tip: On a test basis, set the timeout value in the search preferences to a higher number.
If the database is not accessible over a longer period of time, inform the library via the function Information - question or message to the library.