CTR Library Catalog

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Basic Strategy
Complex Searches
Ranges (years, names, report numbers)

Basic strategy:

• Use quotation marks (" ") around "an exact phrase".
• Use OR between terms to search for either one OR the other.
• Minus signs (-) mean NOT. Use to EXCLUDE a -word or -"a phrase".
• Asterisks (*) are wildcards at the end of a partial word that can have multiple ending*.
• Colons (:) signal a range search.
  
• Results are displayed as a list sorted by the most recent publication date (default). Use the dropdown options to re-sort the list.
  
• When using more than one field, results must meet all criteria unless "OR" is selected in dropdown preceding the field.
  

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Complex searches

See the examples below.

Type this…	To find this…
access*	searches field(s) for access and/or accessible and/or accessibility and/or any other word beginning with Access-
"pavement rehabilitation"	both words, together as a phrase (rehabilitation of pavements would not meet this criteria)
pavement OR rehabilitation	either word (or both)
pavement* (rehab* OR maintenance)	rehabilitation AND pavements and/or maintenance AND pavements
asphalt concrete  -"rubberized concrete"	asphalt AND concrete but NOT “rubberized concrete”
forecast* p5 transportation	“forecasting”, “forecasts” or “forecasting” preceding “transportation” by 5 or fewer words. You can include an asterisk at the end of either word.
forecasting w5 transportation	“forecasting” within 5 words—before or after—transportation. You can include an asterisk at the end of either word.

Words joined by Boolean operators are evaluated in left-to-right order. Use parentheses to control evaluation order.

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Range of years, names, or numbers

You can search for items greater than or less than a certain value, or within a range. This is most commonly done when searching for publication years, but is also be useful for searching a range of report numbers or when unsure of the spelling of an author"s name.

Symbol	Meaning	Example
<	less than (before)	<2003 finds dates before 2003
>	greater than (after)	>2002 finds dates after 2001
:	between	1997 : 1998 finds dates from Jan. 1, 1997 through Dec. 31, 1998 (inclusive) In the author field, mach : mich finds all names between Mach* and the name Mich (inclusive)

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