To get more specific results, try using the
following tips:
Check spelling
Use multiple words
Use similar words
Use appropriate capitalization
Use quotation marks
Use plus (+) or minus (-)
Use field searches
Use wildcards
Check Spelling
Make sure your terms are spelled correctly.
If Sound-Alike Matching is turned on, the search engine
will attempt to find words that sound similar to your search
terms, but it is always best to spell the search terms correctly.
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Use multiple words
Use multiple words when performing your search.
The search results will return more refined results from
several words than from a single word. For example, typing
training locations will return more relevant results
than typing only locations. (Keep in mind, relevant
results are returned even if they don't contain all query
terms.)
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Use similar words
The more similar words you use in a search,
the more relevant results you will get back.
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Use appropriate capitalization
Capitalize proper nouns. Lowercase words will
match any case. For example, typing students will
return all documents containing the words student,
Student, and STUDENT.
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Use quotation marks
Use quotation marks to find words which must
appear adjacent to each other, for example, "Training
Management System." Otherwise, the search results will
include the word Training, Management, and the word System,
but not necessarily in that order. The words may appear
anywhere, and in any order, within the document.
Note: The quotes can only be used when the
"any" radio button is selected. Quotes are ignored
if the "all" or "phrase" button is selected.
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Use plus (+) or minus
(-)
Use a plus sign when your search term or phrase
must appear in the search results. Use a minus sign to indicate
undesirable term(s). The plus sign tells the search engine
that a certain word or phrase is required in the search
results, and a minus sign indicates that a word or phrase
must be absent in the search results.
Note:
-
A phrase must be contained within quotation
marks. Leave .no spaces
between the plus or minus sign and the term.
-
The plus and minus sign can only be
used when the "any" .radio
button is selected. Plus and minus signs are ignored
if .the "all"
or "phrase" button is selected.
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Use field searches
Field searches allow you to create specific
searches for words that appear in a specific part of
a document. A field search can be performed on body
text (body:), title text (title:), all text (alt:),
meta description (desc:), meta key words (keys:) or
URL (url:). The field name should be in lowercase and
immediately followed by a colon. There should be no
spaces between the colon and the search term.
Note: The field searches can only be followed
by a word or phrase. Phrases must be contained within
quotation marks.
Note: This option can only be used when
the "any" radio button is selected. Otherwise
it is ignored in the search.
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Use wildcards
Wildcard searches can expand the number
of matches for a particular request. The * character
is used as the wildcard character.
For instance, searching for wh* will find the words
what, why, when, whether, and any other word that
starts with wh.
Searching for *her* will find the words here,
whether, together, gathering, and any other word
that contains her anywhere in the word.
Wildcards may be combined with the standard
plus (+) and minus (-) modifiers, quotes for phrases,
as well as the field search specifiers.
+wh* -se*ch will find all pages which have
a word that starts with wh and which does not contain
a word that starts with se and ends with ch.
"wh* are" will find the phrases where
are, what are, why are, etc.
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Page Last Updated January 15, 2004
