Search Techniques

SEARCH TECHNIQUES 
C.   Constructing a search statement: Truncation and Wildcards

Truncation is a technique that allows you to search for variations in the ending of a word (plurals, variant spellings, multiple suffixes). Truncation will allow you to retrieve your original search term plus its variations, so it will broaden your search.

To find the variant endings of a word, you shorten it to its root and then add a special symbol called a wildcard.  Similarly, if a word has spelling variations that occur within it, in some cases, you can add the wildcard symbol within the word to substitute for the different letters.

Most electronic databases and library catalogs offer truncation and wildcards, but different systems use different symbols. The most important to remember is the * (asterisk).

adolescen*   retrieves the words adolescent or adolescents or adolescence 
pregnan*   retrieves the words pregnant or pregnancy or pregnancies
allerg*   retrieves the words allergy, allergies, allergic, allergen

NOTE:  Be careful not to truncate too early in the word, or you may get irrelevant results.

THINK ABOUT IT : If you want articles about marriage you may want to also search the word marital -- Where would you truncate to include both of these terms? mar* ---- marr* --- mari* --- marri* --- ??? If you chose mar* you are correct. But think about it... what other words might you get? marijuana, martial arts, marsupials, marzipan, etc. etc. etc. In this case, it is better if you use the OR operator-- marriage or marital

In many databases and in the library catalog, wildcard symbols can also be used for variations in spelling within a word, such as wom?n to retrieve woman or women. The ? replaces just one letter. In some databases, # is used for this purpose and it replaces 0-1 character, such as col#r to retrieve color or colour.

Usually, though, wildcard symbols cannot be used as the first or second character of a word, e.g., you cannot use f?etal as a way to search for fetal or foetal.

Because all systems are different, and change from time to time, it is a good idea to check the online HELP screens to find out what kinds of truncation are possible and what symbols should be used. 

YOUR TURN: For your topic, do you have any search terms that could be truncated? -- plurals or other variant endings?

 

CHECK YOURSELF 

Next:  Proximity Searching