Proximity Connectors
Step 3: Using Proximity Connectors to search phrases
Notice some of my search terms are two-word phrases. Dialog provides many different connectors for searching words that are adjacent to or near each other. This technique is called proximity searching. Proximity searching specifies the relative nearness of search terms to each other.
We use proximity connectors most commonly when we are:
- Searching an exact phrase appearing anywhere in a record.
- Searching phrases that contain stop words, punctuation, hyphens, or other special characters. Tip 2-2
- Narrowing a search to increase the precision of a search. Tip 2-3
The most commonly used proximity connectors are shown in the table below.
| Connector | Definition | Example | Words Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| (N) | Searches adjacent terms, in either order | fiber?(n)optic? | fiber optics optical fiber |
| (W) | Searches adjacent terms, in the EXACT order | anti(w)depressant | anti-depressant flex-time |
| (#N) or (#W) | Allows additional terms to occur between words | pain(1n)killer? | pain killer pain killers killers of pain |
| (L) | Links subject headings to sub-headings | nose(L)abnormalities aspirin(L)adverse effects |
Nose abnormalities (as a descriptor) Aspirin — adverse effects (as a descriptor) |
To Learn More about proximity connectors, click the Learn More icon.
Quick Check 2: Look at the search terms we just identified in Step 1 to see where proximity connectors should be inserted.
Add the connectors to your search sheet, and click the Check Yourself Icon to see the answers. Check yourself
Go to the next page.
2-4
