Help with Searching

Use more than one word and be specific. In general, the more specific you are, the better your results will be. A search for "ford explorer" will produce better results than a search for "cars".

Choose a specific index

Search Criteria allows users to search with one of the following search options: Web Sites, News, and Photos. Choose the index you want by clicking on the radio button, type in the search query, and click the Search button.

Search for any exact phrase

When searching for phrases such as Better Business Bureau or Better Homes and Gardens, enclose the phrase in quotation marks, i.e. "better business bureau" or "better homes and gardens." Using the quotation marks tells the search engine to find those exact words in sequence.

Use the plus (+) and minus (-) signs

Use the "+" (plus) sign to designate words that must be contained in your search results. For example, if you enter +billiards +rules, you'll receive the rules of the game. Enter the "-" (minus) sign to designate words that must not be contained in your search results.

Mark each word appropriately. For example, if you search for +billiards -equipment -supplies, you'll avoid the billiards-related documents that emphasize equipment and supplies. Do not leave any space between the sign and the designated word.

Try Boolean operators

Boolean operators tell ShastaLink's concept-based search mechanism to turn off, allowing you to search for documents that contain exactly the words you are looking for. Boolean operators include AND, AND NOT, OR, and parentheses. These operators must appear in ALL CAPS with a space on each side in order to work.

AND

Documents found must contain all words joined by the AND operator. For example, to find documents that contain the words "wizard,""oz," and "movie," enter:

OR

Documents found must contain at least one of the words joined by OR. For example, to find documents that contain the word "cat" or the word "kitten," enter:

NOT

Documents found cannot contain the word that follows the term "NOT." For example, to find documents that contain the word "pets" but not the word "dogs," enter:

( )

Parentheses are used to group portions of Boolean queries together for more complicated queries. For example, to find documents that contain the word "fruit" and either the word "banana" or the word "apple," enter:

You are here: shastacoe > search > help