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Search Tips
To get more specific search results, try
using the following tips:
Check spelling Make sure your search 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 try 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 calcium supplement will return more relevant results than
typing only supplement. (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 Toddy will return all documents containing the
words toddy, Toddy, and TODDY. However, typing Toddy will only search for pages with Toddy.
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Use quotation marks Use quotation marks to find words which must
appear adjacent to each other, for example, "our pledge to
you." Otherwise, the search
results will include the word our, pledge, to, and the word
you, but not necessarily in that order. The
words may appear anywhere, and in any order, within the
document.
Note: if you are using the Advanced Search Form with
radio buttons for "any," "all," and "phrase," then quotes can only be used
when the "any" radio button is selected. Quotes are ignored if the
Advanced Search Form "all" or "phrase" radio 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.
Note:
if you are using the Advanced Search Form with radio buttons for "any,"
"all," and "phrase," then plus and minus can only be used when the "any"
radio button is selected. Plus and minus are ignored if the Advanced
Search Form "all" or "phrase" radio button is selected.
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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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