Each database has its own configuration as to how it handles terms in the search box. In the simple search, some databases will recognize the Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT) while others will include them as a part of the searching phrase.

For example, a simple search for 'cat or feline' will result in some of the databases to look for the full phrase "cat or feline" and not the individual terms of "cat" OR "feline".

From these results, it would appear that the only database with articles about either cats or felines is Web of Science. In actuality, all the other databases searched for the phrase "cat or feline" and not for "cat" OR "feline". To remedy this, use the customized search option, and place the words cat and feline in seperate boxes, like below:

Let's look at our results now.

While the Web of Science still has the most results about this topic, the other databases also have information that could be relevant.

Choosing resources for your search
If you would like to individually choose the databases you want to search, enter the Customized Search screen. By checking the box "All Engineering," for example, you will be searching each of the databases listed as an Engineering resource -- ACM Digital Library, Compendex, IEEE Xplore, INSPEC, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. You can also choose to check the boxes next to individual databases.

Specifiying the number of results to retrieve
At the bottom of the page, you can choose how many results you would like returned on each page (from 5 to 100), and how many results you want retrieved from each source (from 5 to 100).

After the search begins, ArticleExplorer displays a dynamic Search Progress report at the top of the results screen. The report identifies the specific resources being searched. The values in the report are updated as the search continues through each resource until the status is "Done." Other statuses you may see are:

For example:

You can stop the ArticleExplorer search by clicking the Stop All button in the Search Progress box. This will stop searches on all resources. The number of "Hits" matches the total number of hits it found in that database. The number "Retrieved" is the number that it will show you from that resource in the ArticleExplorer results screens.

The search results display directly below the Progress Box in the order they are retrieved from each resource. For example, here is a sample result:

You have the options of sorting your results, removing duplicates from your results, and/or viewing a detailed record of each result instead of a brief record. You can also narrow (filter) your results by entering another search term in the box at the bottom. These options are available at the bottom of each screen.

A brief record usually shows only the author, title and source.

A full record display will also offer subject headings and an abstract or summary, if available.

Sort the Results by:
Remove Duplicates by:

We recommend that you remove duplicates by title. After removing duplicates, the screen shows the original result and removes the extra results from the display. The total number of duplicates (including the original result) shows as a hyperlink at the bottom of the entry. For example:

Click the word Duplicates (bottom left of the record) to view the duplicate records. Note in the example that one item was from the ScienceDirect database, and the other from Medline:

Click the URL in a result record to link to the resource and view it in the original database source. The source database often provides a more detailed abstract and the full text of the article. If full text is not provided in the source database (in either PDF or HTML format), click on Get VText to see if we have that article available online in a different database.

For example, clicking on URL in the record below:

takes us to the following record in the Web of Science database.

Once in the source database, in this case Web of Science, you can view all the records that were returned by that database for your search in ArticleExplorer.

We recommend that you e-mail, save and print records from the individual databases, and NOT from ArticleExplorer. Why? You will never get the full text if you export directly from ArticleExplorer, and your records will not contain as much information. However, if you do want to e-mail, print or save from ArticleExplorer, here's how: First, mark the box next to the records you want to export. Scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will see the exporting options below. Choose whether you want to e-mail, save or print.