Advanced Search

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CITY Database - Advanced Search - Search hints

The Advanced Search allows you to search one or more indexes. Enter words or phrases into the search boxes and use the logical (or Boolean) operators 'AND' 'OR' 'NOT' from the drop-down boxes to combine the indexes which you wish to use in your search.

Step 1. Selecting Indexes

Index Name Description What to enter

Organisation or Group Name Indexes all significant words from the official name, alternative or other known names of the organisation Enter the first two words of the name (e.g. Otahuhu United) or any significant or key words from the name (e.g. Radio Association)

Subject Subject words or terms with controlled formats are used to describe and index the activities and function a specific organisation has in the community Enter significant words such as 'culture' 'business' 'radio'

Area or Locations Geographical terms and phrases are used to describe the area or location of the organisation's domicile address, its venues and the extent of its geographic activities Enter geographic names e.g. 'Auckland' 'Otahuhu' or geographic words such as 'nationwide'

Demographic Categories Demographic terms are used to index the organisation's relevance for age, gender, ethnicity and nationality Enter demographic terms such as 'adults' 'disabled' 'women' 'special needs' 'Vanuatu'

Step 2. Using the Word Wheel

Click on a Word Wheel button next to the search boxes to view the actual subject words or indexing terms which are used in the index. Select words or terms from the list for use in your search.
NOTE: The Word Wheel requires version 3.0 or later of Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.

For more information on the Word Wheel and how to use it, click the Help button inside the Word Wheel dialogue box or access the Word Wheel User Guide from here.

Step 3. Combining words within a search box

Enter this statement… To find…

motor boat club a phrase (the words entered, occurring in the order as entered)

yacht* / sail* either or both words entered. " / " is logical operator 'OR', used with spaces on either side. "*" is used to search for all words starting with the word entered, e.g. yacht, yachts, yachting, sails, sailed, sailing

boat* & yacht* records that contain both words. Records that contain just one of the words will be ignored. " & " is logical operator 'AND', used with spaces on either side.

yacht* ! multihull yacht* “yachts and yachting” organisations but excluding those with “multihull” " ! " is logical operator 'NOT', used with spaces on either side.

Step 4. Using the AND-OR-NOT Droplist

Use the logical (or Boolean) operators from the AND-OR-NOT droplist in front of the search box to combine the search statement in one index with the search statement in the next index. The logical operator determines how the search result from the first box is to be evaluated in terms of the search statement in the next search box. Boxes are evaluated from top to bottom (first box to last).You can use one or two or all indexes.

Search Examples

Example A.
1. Organisation or Group Name: social / club
AND
2. Subject: arts and music
AND
3. Area and Location: Waiheke Island

Example B.
1. Organisation or Group Name: (yacht* / sail*) ! vision impaired
AND
2. Subject: yachting
NOT
3. Area and Location: Auckland

Example C.
1. Organisation or Group Name: (rugby / football) ! (league / American)
OR
2. Subject: football ! (Rugby League / soccer)
NOT
3. Area and Location: nationwide / North America
NOT
4. Demographic Category: women / girls

For more details and other search methods or strategies see the full User Guide

Use the browser's BACK button to return to the Search Screen

Index Name	Description	What to enter
Organisation or Group Name	Indexes all significant words from the official name, alternative or other known names of the organisation	Enter the first two words of the name (e.g. Otahuhu United) or any significant or key words from the name (e.g. Radio Association)
Subject	Subject words or terms with controlled formats are used to describe and index the activities and function a specific organisation has in the community	Enter significant words such as 'culture' 'business' 'radio'
Area or Locations	Geographical terms and phrases are used to describe the area or location of the organisation's domicile address, its venues and the extent of its geographic activities	Enter geographic names e.g. 'Auckland' 'Otahuhu' or geographic words such as 'nationwide'
Demographic Categories	Demographic terms are used to index the organisation's relevance for age, gender, ethnicity and nationality	Enter demographic terms such as 'adults' 'disabled' 'women' 'special needs' 'Vanuatu'

Enter this statement…	To find…
motor boat club	a phrase (the words entered, occurring in the order as entered)
yacht* / sail*	either or both words entered. " / " is logical operator 'OR', used with spaces on either side. "*" is used to search for all words starting with the word entered, e.g. yacht, yachts, yachting, sails, sailed, sailing
boat* & yacht*	records that contain both words. Records that contain just one of the words will be ignored. " & " is logical operator 'AND', used with spaces on either side.
yacht* ! multihull yacht*	“yachts and yachting” organisations but excluding those with “multihull” " ! " is logical operator 'NOT', used with spaces on either side.