Site Search Help

Site Search Help

By default, the site search engine tries to locate pages that have exact matches for all the words entered in your search query. If there are no pages with exact matches, it then tries to locate pages that contain any of the words in your search query. If this happens, a short message is displayed at the top of the search results stating that these pages do not contain the exact phrase you are seeking.

You cannot access the site search when you are logged in to the website. To get to the site search, log out and click on the “Search” link at the top of the login screen. Since you will not be logged in, you will only be able to see the pages that turn up from your search. You cannot navigate through the rest of a module through the site search. You will have to log back in to do so.

You can add a number of symbols to your query to narrow your search:

1. To find an exact phrase.
   • If you are looking for an exact phrase, put quotes around it.

     e.g., "intimate partner sexual abuse"

2. To find specific words within a few words of each other.
   • If you are looking for a phrase that is similar to, or contains some of the words in your query, put brackets [] around the phrase. This will turn up the exact phrase and places where the words within the phrase are within a few words of each other.

     e.g., [intimate partner sexual assault]

3. To find entries that contain certain words.
   • If you are looking for all the words in a particular phrase within several words of each other, put braces {} around your phrase. This will find the exact phrase and also places where the words in the phrase are mentioned within several words of each other.

     e.g., {intimate partner violence}

4. To make sure that a word is (or is not) part of your search query.
   • To make sure you include or exclude a word from your search add a + or - sign before the word.

     e.g., +domestic–sexual+violence

5. To find words that start the same way.
   • To find words that have the same beginning add an * after the word.

     e.g., sex*

6. If you are not sure how the word you are searching for is spelled.
   • If you have a general idea about how the word is spelled, but are not sure, you can use a ? to replace the letters you are unsure of. The search engine will find words with any character that fits the missing letters.

     e.g., juana l??ja

7. To do a Boolean search.
   • To conduct a Boolean search, connectors must be in capital letters – AND, OR, NOT.

     e.g., sexual AND assault NOT abuse

8. You can, of course, combine any of these techniques to create a complex search query.

   e.g., “sexual assault” NOT abuse +immigrant

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