Campbell Library users have access to a number of different search methods for locating content within The Campbell Library. The search options include:
- Simple search: The simple search box at the top of each library page allows you to enter search terms in a single text box. The search box includes the option to select a field restrictor.
- Browse: The browse feature allows you to access Campbell documents by topic.
- Advanced search: This option allows you to access the full search feature page for Campbell, including keyword search, providing access to a thesaurus-based search of search terms.
- Search history: Searches that you have input during your current session can be accessed from this feature. This feature allows you to build and save complex searches using current search terms and adding new terms through the page's search function.
Browsing The Campbell Library
The browse feature allows you to access Campbell documents by topic, as arranged by the UKAT thesaurus hierarchy. Click a subject field to view the subheadings within that field. The number outside each subject field is identical to the number of documents that may be found below that term in the thesaurus hierarchy.
Advanced search
The Campbell Library advanced search allows users to create more complex searches and provides a number of options for refining search results.
- Use the six search text boxes at the top of the screen to include search terms.
- Boolean selector pulldown boxes in front of the text boxes can be used to relate the terms using the AND or OR operators.
- The pulldown list boxes following the text box can be used to limit the search to the following fields:
- All text
- Title
- Author
- Keywords
- Use the limits section to limit the search to a specific Campbell Coordinating Group.
- Use the limits section to limit the search to a specific publication type, e.g. completed review, protocol, title registration etc.
- Use the limits section to limit the search to a range of publication years. Select the years from the pulldown menus.
- Click the search button to view the search results.
- Use "search history" to view, combine and delete searches in your current session.
Tips for using the advanced search feature
If no operator is used in spaces between terms, the database searches for the terms as a phrase. Thus, a search for parent involvement will match any document that includes those terms in that exact order, while a search for parent and involvement will match any document that includes both terms.
The following table provides the specific querying options for the simple and advanced searches.
| Type | Description | Example |
| Boolean operators | Use AND or OR to create a more complex search | - cognitive AND behavioral - behavioral OR behavioural |
| Wildcard truncation | Use an asterisk (*) to search for multiple characters after a search string. | boot camp* |
Important note: The advanced search does not understand the use of parentheses to logically arrange terms in a search. However, the search history tool complies with the use of parentheses.
Search results
The total number of record matches within the The Campbell Library is displayed below the search section. Click on the individual document type images (i.e. the review or protocol) to display the documents.
Select the sorting links at top right to sort results alphabetically by title or by the year of publication.
The search results for each record include the document title, author, and year of publication data.
Search terms are not highlighted within the selected record. To locate a term within the pdf version of a document, press control-f to display the find feature, type the search term in the "find" search box, and click the enter key to locate the term.
Records can be exported to RIS citation format by using the export options. The "select all" button will select all records in the search for exporting, but you can also use the check boxes next to each record to select individual records. The citation export feature is discussed in a separate section.
Thesaurus search
The thesaurus search is based on the UK Archival Thesaurus (UKAT). UKAT a hierarchical listing of related sets that allow you to browse lists for specific terms. The thesaurus search feature can be accessed by selecting keywords in pulldown list boxes following the text box in the advanced search window. This allows the thesaurus search popup window to open. UKAT terms are indexed in a hierarchical tree structure format that links related terms.
To view the index, type a term in the search box and click the "search" button. The thesaurus index displays a list of all thesaurus terms that include the term you selected. When you select a term, the thesaurus tool will add it to your keyword box. Additionally, related terms will be displayed below the keyword box.
To run a thesaurus search with your selected terms, click the "ready" button.
Important note: if you select more than one keyword in a single thesaurus search, the terms will be listed separated by ;, and interpreted by the database as combined by AND. Keywords may be combined by OR by using more than one search field in the advanced search window, or by using the combine tool in the Search history. We are aware that this is a problem and a better solution is being prepared.
Search history
Searches run during your current session are saved in your search history profile. The feature is accessed by clicking on the search history option in the left hand menu.
The search history feature is a powerful tool that allows you to build complex combined searches through use of search Ids and search operators. At the top of the page is a condensed search form that can be used to add searches.
The queries listed in your current search history include an ID order number, the search description, the total number of hits the search matches, a delete option, and an export option.
Searches can be run by clicking on a search string. Searches can be deleted by clicking on the red X next to the search. Searches can be exported to reference software by clicking on the export image next to the search.
Building complex searches
The search form below the search history can be used for developing complex search schema.
Complex searches are built by using the searches ID numbers and associating them with search operators. Complex searches may be formed by selecting searches in the search history and combining them with AND or OR using the pulldown menu. Complex searches may also be typed manually into the search form.
A simple example of a combined search is:
3 OR 4 AND 8
which would be parsed as (3 OR (4 AND 8))
To build a complex query that correctly associates the hierarchy of search terms, use parentheses to group the elements.
(3 OR 7 OR 19) AND (17 AND 5)
will match any documents that include query 3 or 7 or 19 if the result also includes 17 in combination with 5.
Citation export
The citation export feature is accessed through links in the search results or through the search history. The data records are exported in RIS format and can be imported into standard reference manager programs. The data exported includes standard publication fields for document and publication title, author, year, and keywords.
To export citation records from the search results, you can use the "select all" button which will select all records in the search for exporting. You can also use the check boxes next to each record to select individual records for exporting. Having selected the correct references, click the "export selected references" button.
To export citation records from the search history, click the RIS image in the search history table.
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