Guidelines

The online search for collections carried out by the platform PHL can be done by author, title, subject and keyword. In this sense, the search can be expressed as a simple term, a truncated term, a compound term, a eleThis can be done through a search expression using the logical operators (AND), (OR) and (NOT) or their equivalent symbols. 

For catalog searches, in addition to the options mentioned above, the form provides the option to select the type of search and checkboxes for search filters that make it easier for users who are not used to using Boolean expressions. 

Simple term 

Simply transcribe the word that represents the desired subject. 

Truncated term

  ECONO$

By using the dollar sign after the root of a term, all records containing any word with the given root will be retrieved. In the search with the expression above, records containing the words: ECONOMY; ECONOMIES; ECONOMIC; ECONOMICS; ECONOMICALLY will be retrieved.

Compound term

Compound terms are terms obtained from a vocabulary controlled by the library (thesaurus) and aggregated by the librarian to represent the thematic content of the documents. Searches using compound terms are more precise.

SOCIAL POLICY * ECONOMIC POLICY

Search expression

The search expression is made up of logical elements to form the set of interest. The transcription of a search expression follows the rules of Boolean algebra for operations with sets. Below are some examples of expressions using Boolean operators: 

• (+) - logical "OR

HISTORY + GEOGRAPHY

HISTORY OR GEOGRAPHY

The expressions produce the same result, i.e. they search for all records that contain the word HISTORY or that contain the word GEOGRAPHY;

• (*) - Logical "E"

HISTORY * BRAZIL

HISTORY AND BRAZIL

• (^) - "AND NOT" logical

HISTORY ^ BRAZIL

HISTORY NOT BRAZIL

Boolean operators can be combined in the same expression: (history + geography) * brazil