BASE Help: Search Help Page
In BASE two different search surfaces are available: a basic search providing a single search field and an advanced search with multiple search fields and more sophisticated search options.
Basic Search
Basic Search Screen (you will find the explanations below):
| № | Definition |
|---|---|
| A | Search Field Enter your search terms. You may want to consider the search tips mentioned below. |
| B | Find additional word forms When you start a search other word forms (plural, genitive) will be searched automatically. To unselect this feature click the search box. |
| C | Eurovoc Thesaurus Type in a search term in English and you will find documents and even synonyms in up to 21 languages at the same time. Search Examples. |
| D | Submit Search Request Click this button to submit your search request (or simply press the Return key). Explanations regarding the result display can be looked up on the Result Display Help page. |
Advanced Search
BASE Advanced Search Screen (you will find the explanations below):
| № | Definition |
|---|---|
| A | Search Fields Your search can be concentrated on different categories. Preset categories are Entire Document, Author, Title and Subject Headings but there are some more you can choose from. Search Tips and Examples When you enter search terms here, the search will automatically be limited to documents containing metadata, if appropriate. What does that mean? Enter at least one search term in one of the given fields. |
| B | Hits per Page Here you can define how many retrieved hits should appear on each result display page (10, 20, 30, 50 oder 100). |
| C | Submit Search Request After having made all necessary choices submit your search request by clicking the Search button. |
| D | Find additional word forms When you start a search other word forms (plural, genitive) will be searched automatically. To unselect this feature click the search box. |
| E | Eurovoc Thesaurus Type in a search term in English and you will find documents and even synonyms in up to 21 languages at the same time. Search Examples. |
| F | Content Resources Here you can select, if you want to search all sources (document servers) worldwide, only european document servers or only document servers from Germany. |
| G | Publication Year You may limit your search to documents of a particular year or a time period. Please enter the date always in four digit form (e.g. 1999). If you specify this field, your search will automatically be limited to documents containing metadata. What does that mean? |
| F | Document Type Here you can select or unselect either all or individual document types. |
Combining Search Terms
Entering one or more search terms (separated by blanks) will produce hits, which include all the entered terms in one document (and conjunction). There are, however, more options to combine terms and search efficiently.
| You search ... | Syntax | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A and B | A B | linear algebra |
| A or B | (A B) | (algebra geometry) |
| A not B | A -B | algebra -linear |
| A and B as a phrase (directly adjoined) | "A B" | "Albert Einstein" |
| A and B or A and C or A, B and C | A (B C) | algebra (linear numerical) |
Expanding Search Terms
Word Forms
When you start a search other plural, genitive and other word forms will be searched automatically. To unselect this feature click the search box "find additional word forms".
Using Eurovoc Thesaurus
By using Eurovoc
you can broaden your search. If you choose
"basic terms only" a search term will be searched in up to 21
languages at the same time (no matter which language you use),
provided that the search term is included in Eurovoc
(for every language 6,500 basic terms are included).
If you choose "basic terms and used-for-terms" synonyms for this
search term will be searched additionally.
All in all 239,000 terms are included in Eurovoc.
Example - You search for "adult education":
| Setting | You find | Hits |
|---|---|---|
| off (no thesaurus) | adult education | 1000 |
| basic terms only | adult education, Erwachsenenbildung, éducation des adultes, … | 1200 |
| basic terms and used-for-terms | adult education, training of adults, education of women … Erwachsenenbildung, Elternbildung, Frauenbildung, … éducation des adultes, éducation des parents, éducation des femmes, … … |
1300 |
You can broaden your search even more, by choosing "find additonal word forms". If this option is ticked, other word forms than the entered (plural, genitive) will be included automatically.
Using Truncation Marks
The * (asterisk) substitutes any number of characters. It helps you
find different spellings or wordings even in different languages in one go.
Example: algebr* geometr*
Note: The asterisk can not be applied in phrase searches
(e.g.
searching "algebr* geometr*" is not possible).
Refine your Search
Search by Categories
BASE provides several options to improve and refine the retrieved search result. But you can also use the Basic or Advanced Search screen from the beginning:
| Category | Syntax | What happens? |
|---|---|---|
| Author | aut: | Search for authors' names. Tip: Enter only the surname of a person. Your search will automatically be limited to documents containing metadata. What does that mean? |
| Title | tit: | The terms entered here will be searched in the title of a document |
| Subject Headings | subj: | Relevant terms which describe the contents of a document and which
have specifically been assigned to it will be searched. Your search will automatically be limited to documents containing metadata. What does that mean? |
| Publisher | publ: | If you search for a book or a journal the publisher's name can be
searched. Your search will automatically be limited to documents containing metadata. What does that mean? |
| (Part of) URL | url: | Any part of an internet address can be searched |
Limit Search to Publication Year
You can limit your search to documents of a particular year or time period.
| Setting | Syntax | What happens? |
|---|---|---|
| since year | year:> | The search will be limited to a particular year ("in year")
or a time period ("since year", "until year").
Enter the year always in four digit format. Your search will automatically be limited to documents containing metadata. What does that mean? |
| in year | year: | |
| until year | year:< |
