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Step 3: Advanced Search Strategies.
Each database has its own advanced search screen (see the direct links at the end of this page). These specially-designed interfaces will help you focus your search to get exactly the resources you need.
Each advanced search screen allows you to specify which terms to search and/or which fields to search.
All of the words
The database will look for all of the words entered in this field, but not necessarily in that order. This is similar to the all-in-one search blank. Entering spinal cord injury will result in records containing the terms spinal, cord, and injury.
Exact phrase
The database will look for all of the words entered exactly as they appear. Deaf and blind will produce different results than blind and deaf. This is a good choice if you're looking for a specific project, organization, or document title.
At least one
The database will return results with one or more of the words entered. Entering bipolar or manic depression will return records with either bipolar or manic or depression or any combination thereof. This is a good way to broaden your search to return as many results as possible.
Without the words
The database will exclude records containing terms entered here. Use this field in combination with one of the other options For example, you may want to focus on those who have hearing loss but are not deaf. Enter hearing loss as an exact phrase and deaf as an excluded term.
Try combining terms in fields to expand or narrow your search.
Wildcards (*)
Use an asterisk to create a wildcard search. For example, to search for research on employment, you could use employ*. The database will find records that include employ, employer, employee, employment, employing, and employs. This is very useful for date searches or to look for all of one type of grant number (e.g. H133*).
You also have the option to select specific fields to search. You may choose up to four fields to search from. (Note: Each database has different fields and, therefore, different choices in each list). For example: In REHABDATA, you may want to look for articles on spinal cord injury by Whiteneck. You would select Author and enter Whiteneck and select Descriptors and enter spinal cord injury. In the NIDRR Projects database, you may want to search for projects from a particular investigator like Rosenthal.
Each advanced search page features additional criteria to help you limit your search. Here's a sample search from REHABDATA for any abstracts which mention vocational rehabilitation as a phrase, published between 2000 and 2008, from any NIDRR grantees (all NIDRR grant numbers begin with H133). When this search was run on 4/21/2008, 399 abstracts were available. Try the search yourself on REHABDATA's advanced search page.
Go to the advanced search page for:
For more information on keywords used to index NARIC resources, visit the REHABDATA Thesaurus.
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