The EXPAND Command

Now, let's look at Brian's request again. He wants information on the company Electronic Arts.

We can use a command, called the EXPAND command that will be very helpful as we research names, for example, names of companies, executives, authors, or products.

To use EXPAND, I just follow two simple steps:

Step 1: Use EXPAND (E) to verify the spelling, punctuation, and other variations of the names in the field.

Tip 6-5

Example:

e co=qwest communications
e co=Electronic Arts

Step 2: Use the E Reference number(s) to SELECT the desired entry(s).

Tip 6-6

Example:

s e3
s e3 or e5
s e3:e5

Go to the next page.

6-4

Learn More #2:

The EXPAND command allows us to see how a term is entered in the index of a database. In Additional Indexes that contain names, the names must be entered exactly the way they appear in the database index.

The EXPAND command (abbreviated E) is used to verify the spelling, punctuation, and spacing of names and to view alphabetically similar entries of those names.

The EXPAND command displays a list of terms with the number of unique records containing each term.

EXPAND displays the first 12 entries in the index. We can use the Page or P command to view additional entries up to 50.

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Search Tip 6-5:

the examples listed in the Additional Indexes of the Bluesheet to determine the proper entry format for the term.

For example, some databases use author's last name and first initial with no punctuation; others use last name and first name, separated by a comma.

Example:

crane j
crane, j

Search Tip 6-6:

Once you have SELECTed the desired entry(s) from the EXPAND list, add the subject terms to refine the search further.

Example:

s e4 and long(w)distance(w)service/ti,de