Search and options

Multiple access entries with a range of search / retrieval and display options are a goal and challenge in PDN’s development.

For more efficient searches, better results and help to find exactly what you are looking for (with saving time while doing it) – please look at more information under Search tips.

Search

The Search in the top right corner provides direct access to documents.

Enter your search criteria and click on the ‘Search’ button.

We recommend to keep your search simple ! Use as few terms as possible and choose descriptive words. (Every word will be searched – in all documents and their content).

Case sensitivity is not relevant – small and capital letters are treated the same (search for ‘disaster’ will find ‘Disaster’ as well and also ‘diSAsTeR’).

Use double quotes if you search for a specific phrase (i.e. “not if but when” as title).

For more details please see under Search tips.

This Search covers

• the content of documents
• the title and variant title
• the description (in the bibliographic information).
  

For more details please see under Documents - bibliographic information.

If you know a specific term – you will find your content / documents fast.

Please keep in mind that this is not a Google search but searches exactly for the term that you have entered.

This search does not automatically search for different words like google does - i.e. if you enter 'cyclon' it will search for 'cyclon' but not for 'cyclone' and not for 'cyclones'.

Your initial searches might find not enough, or too much information.

Review your search terms, and either broaden or narrow your search. Please keep in mind that we always add new content in PDN and have currently approx. 5000 documents available (15/07/2010).

You can enter more than one word from or about the document.

For more information please see under Search tips, Narrow your search results or Broaden your search results and Search results.

Search tips

Keep your search simple ! Use as few terms as possible and choose descriptive words. (Every word will be searched – in all documents and their content).

Case sensitivity is not relevant – small and capital letters are treated the same. A search for ‘disaster’ will find ‘Disaster’ as well and also ‘diSAsTeR’.

Use double quotes if you search for a specific phrase (i.e. “not if but when” as title).

Don’t use punctuation marks (like apostrophe, comma, hyphen, slash, brackets, dot etc.). You will get better results if you leave any punctuation out.

If you don’t find what you are looking for please check

• Is the spelling correct ?
• Check spelling variations - i.e. 'cyclon' and 'cyclone' and 'cyclones' / 'behaviour' or 'behavior'
• What are you looking for? What terms relate to your search?
• Specific words instead of general words
• Singular form instead of plural - i.e. ‘disaster’ instead of ‘disasters’

  The system does not automatically look for variants of your search words and the singular form of a word is often most efficient.

• Synonyms – i.e. mobile telephones, cellular telephones
• Variations of a root word – i.e. mechanism, mechanist, mechanic, …
• Acronyms - i.e. Disaster Risk Management - DRM
• History of a term for geographical or other - i.e. Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus
• Language of a term - i.e. english or local term – Fiji or Viti
• Is the word / term you are searching in the document, its content, in the title or description?
• Consider * or? to substitute 1 or more characters (truncation / wildcard) to expand the scope of your search.

  For more information please see under * and? - Truncation / wildcard.

For more information please see under Search results.

AND, OR, NOT – Boolean operators

Boolean operators define the relationships between words or groups of words.

( ) Group words or phrases when combining Boolean phrases and to show the order in which relationships should be considered: e.g., '(mouse or mice) and (gene or pseudogene). 

Narrow your search results

• Start with one, two or three keywords.
• Note – keywords are not case sensitive.
• Try different search words and combinations but use just two or three words at a time so that you get a variety of results.
• For a closer match specify terms.
• Try and search the same terms with AND, to see the difference - try the same terms with NOT.

• Note – cyclone (singular or use cyclone* instead to cover cyclone, cyclones etc.).
• Try and search: fiji AND cyclone
• Try and search: fiji NOT cyclone
• To broaden your result – try and search: fiji OR cyclone.

To narrow your search (i.e. reduce the amount you find) you can as well:

• Look for more specific alternative terms
• Use subject headings as search terms
• Use AND or NOT search
• Make sure you have used any Boolean operators correctly (For more information please see under AND, OR, NOT – Boolean operators.)

• Use more precise terms
• Remove any truncation (For more information please see under * and? - Truncation / wildcard.)

For more information please see under Navigation - Browse with Filter and if you have found your information please see under Search results and options and Documents (Display).

Broaden your search results

• Start with one or two keywords.
• Note – keywords are not case sensitive.
• Try different search words and combinations but use just one or two words at a time so that you get a variety of results.
• For a broader match use more general terms.
• Try and search the same terms with OR.

• Note – cyclone (singular or use cyclone* instead to cover cyclone, cyclones etc.)
• Try and search: fiji OR cyclone
• To narrow your result – try and search: fiji AND cyclone, try and search: fiji NOT cyclone.
• Consider the ‘Browse and Filter’ functionality if you haven’t found your content yet or if you are not searching for a specific item.

To broaden your search (i.e. increase the amount you find) you can:

• Reduce the number of concepts you are using
• Look for alternative terms
• Use more general search terms
• Use subject headings as search terms
• Use an OR search
• Make sure you have used any Boolean operators correctly (For more information please see under AND, OR, NOT – Boolean operators.)
  

• Use truncation to get variations on your term, or use alternate spellings (For more information please see under * and? - Truncation / wildcard.)

• Use different spellings (like gray and grey)

For more information please see under Navigation - Browse with Filter and if you have found your information please see under Search results and options and Documents (Display).

Navigation - Browse with Filter

If you are not sure what you are looking for or not searching for a specific item, try browsing the Menu on the left with Topics, Sub-Topics, Countries and Organizations.

It works similar to your Windows Explorer.

Topics with a dark blue vertical icon in front have more Sub-Topics (narrower categories); same with Countries and Organizations.

The light grey horizontal icon in front of the term indicates that there are no further sub topics.

Double click with your left mouse on a term with a dark blue vertical icon to display (explode) more Sub-Topics. Same time a list with related documents will be displayed and a definition for the term (below the document list).

One click on a term will display the list with related documents and the definition for the term – but one click will not display further Sub-Topics from a dark blue vertical icon.

Click through the relevant terms and menu entries to get a list of documents displayed and explore as you go.

You will find a description for each topic displayed below the list - how it is used in PDN.

For all terms and their definitions please see under Glossary and Acronyms.

You can filter lists by selecting a topic and / or a country and / or an organization from the drop down menus below the list and click on the button 'Filter' to get your result. 

The button 'Reset' will clear your selected entries for new choices and combinations.

Advanced Search

The Advanced Search allows you to perform more complex and very specific searches.

You can select where you want to search – please click the arrow and choose from the drop down menu in the first row.

In the second row you can enter the term which you want to search.

The third row provides a selection of Boolean Operators to narrow or broaden your search with AND, OR, NOT. For more information please see under AND, OR, NOT – Boolean operators.

Click the Button ‘Perform Advanced Search’.

Records with a combination of your entered search terms will be found and displayed as Search result list.

You can start a broader search with one term and than narrow down your result list with using additional terms.

Example (and please keep in mind that case sensitivity is not relevant!):

Select i.e. “Title” from the drop down menu in the first column and enter in the second column your term - i.e. “cyclone”.

If you have too many results – narrow down the next search with the Boolean operator “AND” in the third column and select in the next row i.e. “Country” and enter your term – i.e. “fiji”.