Help for E-Resources/Article Databases

Searching

1. Select database from the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.
2. Choose database(s) and click BEGIN.
3. Type a word or phrase in the search box.
4. Click on SEARCH.

Combining Terms

Use OR to connect similar terms. OR broadens your search.

Example: production or fabrication

Use AND to connect separate concepts. AND narrows your search.

Example: ceramic and production

Truncating Terms

Use ? to replace one or more characters at the end of a search term.

Example: comput? (retrieves computer, computers, computing, and computation)

Proximity Searching

Use periods to specify how many words may separate your search terms (e.g. three periods means following within three words). The search only returns phrases that contain your search terms in the order they were entered.

Example: production ... glass (retrieves Production In Micro Glass, Production Including: Coated Glass, and Production Of Glass, but not Glass & Mirror Production)

Combining Search Sets

1. Highlight the search sets you want to combine by pressing <CTRL> and click.
2. Click on AND, OR, or NOT.
   (Optional) Type the search set numbers and Boolean operator in the search box.

Example: s2 and s4

Name Searching (Company, Author, etc.)

1. Type as much of the term as you know into the search box next to the appropriate index category under WORD SEARCH OPTIONS.
2. Click INDEX.
   (Optional) Enter a new term (or a portion of a term) and click JUMP TO to move forward or backward through the index
3. Select your term(s) from the list (hold down the <CTRL> key and click to select multiple names) and click SEARCH.

Displaying Search Results

The most recent set of search results is automatically highlighted. Click to highlight the search set of your choice.

1. Click DISPLAY to see a list of records.
2. Scroll through the list of records, or click on forward >>> or backward <<< to move within the set of results.

Selecting Records

1. Click in the box to the left of the record to mark it for later printing, downloading or emailing.

Printing Search Results

1. Click on PRINT|SAVE E-MAIL at the top or bottom of the screen.
2. Click on PRINT.
3. Click on FILE, then PRINT.
4. Click OK.

Printing All Records

1. Click DISPLAY to see a list of records.
2. Click PRINT|SAVE E-MAIL.
3. Select RECORDS 1-# IN DISPLAY SET from the RECORDS TO USE drop-down.
4. Click on PRINT.
5. Click on FILE, then PRINT.
6. Click OK.

Saving Search Results

1. Click on PRINT|SAVE E-MAIL at the top or bottom of the screen.
2. Click on SAVE.
3. Insert removable storage device. (i.e. flash drive, memory stick, 3 1/2" disk ...)
4. Click on FILE, then SAVE PAGE.
5. Type in the disk drive letter, the filename, and the extension .txt in the FILE NAME box.
   Example: a:myfile.txt
6. Click SAVE.

Emailing Search Results

1. Click on PRINT|SAVE E-MAIL at the top or bottom of the screen.
2. Enter your email address in the E-MAIL TO box.
3. Click E-MAIL.

Beginning a New Search, Getting Help, and Exiting

Beginning a New Search

1. Click on SEARCH.

Exiting

1. Click on LOGOUT.
2. Click on browser's HOME at the top of the screen to return to the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.

Getting Help

1. Click on HELP for on-screen help.

For further assistance, consult library staff.

Databases Covered by this Guide

• Nuclear Science Abstracts
• Thomas Register

...and other Dialog@Site databases