A means of narrowing a database search to display documents which include a particular phrase. Search engines usually require quotation marks to indicate phrases.
In online searching, the searching for a string of words in the exact order in which they appear in the search box. Often, quotation marks are used around the phrase (depending on the database). Example: “Fall of the Roman Empire .” If this search were entered into a bibliographic database, the records returned in the Hit List (cf) must have this exact phrase somewhere in them. Plagiarism Presenting another person's ideas as your own, even if done inadvertently. Failure to properly cite sources used and thus not giving appropriate credit for ideas. Primary Source An original source, such as original research. The material where an idea first appears. Proximity Operators In online searching, the use of the terms WITH, NEAR and/or ADJACENT to specify that search words or phrases must be found in a particular order and within so many words of each other. Record See Field.
search more than one keyword exactly as written usually by enclosing the terms in quotes to form a phrase. Sometime called a "character string." ex. "Bruce Springsteen" or "call of the wild"
This means the database will look for the keywords you type in the search field as you have typed them (e.g. if you search for "Charles Darwin University", the database will look for those three words together in that exact order).
a search process that allows you to combine words so that you only get records where the words are next to each other in the order specified
A way of searching an electronic database without using Boolean operators. For example, instead of using 'and' to combine the keywords 'information' and 'society', the phrase 'information society' may retrieve more relevant material.
searching for a string of words that must appear next to each other and in exact order. ("global warming" or "blue suede shoes" or "bed and breakfast") Phrases are usually enclosed in quotation marks and may be effectively used to search for names. ("John Quincy Adams")
A search feature supported by most search engines that allows you to search for words that usually appear next to each other. It is possibly the most important search feature.
a method of searching for relevant sites on search engines. More than one Keyword, searched exactly as keyed (all terms required to be in documents, in the order keyed). Enclosing keywords in quotations " " forms a phrase in AltaVista and some other search tools. Some times a phrase is called a "character string."
A type of search syntax that allows you to search for phrases in a database. In the Library Catalogue, you need to put phrases in single quotation marks ('cold war'). The syntax may differ in other databases; always check the "Help" screens or Ask a Librarian.
Allows you, in a database - to search for particular words in a particular order. Uselful for proper names, names of companies and names of government departments. Most phrase searches should be in quotations, such as "Department of Justice".
Use quotes to denote phrases. Phrases restrict results to EXACT matches: if combining terms is a natural marriage, narrows and targets results by many times. FOR EXAMPLE: "Solar System" "New Planet"
Search statements that allow searching for words in a certain order.
