4.10. Searching

Searching

A -  Different levels and approaches: 
   1. easy 
       1.1 expert
   2. menu/windows driven
       2.1 command driven
   3. browsing term lists/indexes directly pointing to records
   4. complex query expressions
   5. browsing record list

Different levels and approaches 1 1.1 2 2.1 3 4 5
EndNote Web x x x x
RefWorks x x x x x
Procite x x x x x x x
EndNote x x x
Reference Manager x x x x (x) x
EndNoteWeb (web based):   1: Quick search; 2: the very same Quick allows for the use of several operators; 2.1: totally up to the user within the unique given blank-box; 4: can use also parentheses; in any case it cannot select fields to search in, it is always an "Any field" search
RefWorks (web based): 1 yes, easy; 2 menu driven: yes; 3 browsing term lists: yes; 4 query expressions: not real query expressions but 'advanced' is window-like with four available field choices and Boolean operators; 5 browsing record list: yes
Procite:   1: easy: browsing indexes + direct "Quick Find" by typing string; expert: assisted command driven (see 2); 2: command driven: assisted by buttons but syntax errors are possible; 3: browsing term lists and indexes;  4: query expressions; 5: browsing record list

Short Record List browsing is default window, database dependent: one record per line, can choose any field to display in up to six columns. Quick Find: enter string based upon sort key. Sort on any displayed field by clicking the column field bar

EndNote: 1: easy: one "quick search" box for strings l/r truncated in any field of the whole db + one "query by example" template, with syntax control; 2: command driven: only for Z39.50 searching, see below; 4: query expressions are very limited; 5: Mac ed. can also use Spotlight search

Short Record List browsing is default window, common to all databases: one record per line; can handle up to eight (8) columns and use any field to display (option for all authors or first only). Quickly move to record by directly entering a string belonging to first sort field key (no special windows is displayed). Sort (A/D) on any displayed field by clicking the column field bar. Cannot use term lists here to point to records. Cannot toggle between short list and search result: one or the other. Can show preview of one highlighted record 

Reference Manager:
1: easy "Quick retrieval" available in Term Manager; expert as search window with multiple fields; 
2: assisted by menu and buttons;
3: Term manager activate a quick search on one or more terms (OR - AND operators available) ; in search window lists are available only to pick up terms for a query, not to index and contextually display records at once; 4 (but without explicit parentheses among different fields); 5

Short Record list browsing is default window, not database dependent -and can apply to all lists (retrieved, imported, duplicates etc.): one record per line, can choose any field to display (up to 37); sort on any displayed field by clicking the column field bar

B - Term lists derived from indexes useful for browsing and searching

EndNoteWeb (web based):   n.a. (no term lists at all)
RefWorks: 3 lists: authors, keywords, journal titles; useful to browse and search (not available in advanced search)
Procite: 5 predefined indexes (authors etc., titles, keywords,journals, RT) + others user definable as mere term lists: not automatic indexes ; useful in searching to the extent that from search window can use lists to pick up terms and insert them in the query; useful to browse: while browsing, indexes directly display related records
EndNote: custom defined up to max 31 for each db; not available at all to searching or browsing records

Reference Manager: 3 predefined lists (authors, kw, journals) + 1 generic "Phrase" list; useful to search: pick-up lists, or faster access via Term Manager; not useful to browse: you never see term lists and records together, but select one or more terms and do a Quick retrieval: different terms can be combined (AND | OR) 

C -   Browsing term lists (indexes) to search
    1. entries show number of related docs
    2. relationships (e.g. x-refs) between entries are displayed
    3. direct selection of index terms and display of related documents

EndNoteWeb (web based):   n.a.
RefWorks (web based): 1, 3
Procite: 1 (the four indexes + RT list) 3
EndNote: n.a.
Reference Manager: n. a. (see above Term Manager)

D - Length of indexable keys
N.b. usually it's around 250 chars or "unlimited", also Total Index size and Number of entries per list are usually practically unlimited: only restrictions are mentioned here

EndNoteWeb (web based): the whole entry is indexed
RefWorks: the whole entry is indexed
Procite: the whole entry is indexed
EndNote: the whole entry is indexed
Reference Manager: the whole entry is indexed

E - Thesaurus (structured dictionary with relationships among terms)

EndNoteWeb (web based):   n.a.
RefWorks: n.a.
Procite: n.a.
EndNote: n.a.
Reference Manager: n.a.

F -  Query expressions

EndNoteWeb (web based):   yes by using operators and parentheses
RefWorks (web based): not really, but can use four boxes for queries and boolean operators
Pr: assisted by command buttons to select: fields, operators, terms, previous queries
En: assisted by template and buttons to select fields, operators, scope, options: match full word, case;  due to the windows structure with superimposed fields it is almost impossible to create a complex, controlled, syntactically correct query expression (also more words in one filed is unreliable and gives unpredictable results)
RM: assisted by command buttons to select: fields, operators, terms, previous queries; cannot control syntactical parentheses among different fields

G -  Natural language queries

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no
RefWorks (web based): no
Pr: no
En: no
RM: no

H -  Search strategy : can save and recall search expressions

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no
RefWorks (web based): no
Pr: yes
En: yes
RM: yes

I -  Shows hits of each search expression component

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no
RefWorks (web based): no, only total records number
Pr: no, only total records number
En: no, only total records number
RM: total number of records also for each line of a multiline query (but not for internal components of each line nor for the last line)

J -  Refine (search within search result)

EndNoteWeb (web based): indirectly if you put the result of one search step in a named folder and search within it
RefWorks (web based): indirectly if you search in a folder where you have stored a previous search result
Pr: yes
En: yes
RM: yes (though not explicitly: keep the previous search strategy as the first step of your new query and AND it with another search expression)

K -  Advanced search features
    1. best match, weighted terms, ranking
    2. fuzzy, sounds like
    3. hypertext-like: navigating

EndNoteWeb (web based):   3: can navigate only via authors' names
RefWorks (web based): 1: ranking by relevance is on by default for Quick search -and cannot be customized- when more than one word are used;  with single word Quick search only sorting (date | author)
3: authors, descriptors, journal titles (full & short), URL are all active links within this entirely web based catalogue
Pr: no
En: no
RM: no

L  -  Highlighting search terms in result (and jump to next occurrence of term)

EndNoteWeb (web based):  highlight
RefWorks (web based): highlight
Pr: no
En: no (but "Go to" and "Next" commands, to find a r/l truncated string within a reference)
RM: yes in the Output display --not in the Standard editable one, (no "jump")

M  -  Indexing operation
    1. real time
    2. batch

EndNoteWeb (web based): 1 automatic when saving a record
RefWorks (web based): 1 automatic when saving a record
Pr: 1 automatic when saving a record
En: 1 automatic when saving a record
RM: 1 automatic when saving a record

N  -  Scope of searching within a record 
    1. one or more distinct fields
    2. cluster of fields
    3. full text = any field (i.e. all the fields are indexed and searchable) 
    4. same occurrence

EndNoteWeb (web based): 3 always and only
RefWorks (web based): 1, 2 clusters available for: all authors, all periodicals (full/short titles), but dates and other titles etc. are scattered over several fields in a 1:1 relationship; 3
Pr: 1 yes with field indicator (RT included); 2 three clusters; all authors, all titles, date; 3 yes, default
En: 1, RT included; 2: no clusters: 5 different title fields, 4 authors, 2 dates: each is to be individually searched for; 3 any field
RM: 1 (RT included); 2: predefined clusters: so-called "indexed fields" and "non-indexed fields", all authors, all titles, "reference indexes" [i.e. saved search results])

O -   Case sensitiveness

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no
RefWorks (web based): no
Pr: no
En: yes if Match Case option is on
RM: no

P -  Diacritics make difference (it is considered an unpleasant feature if it cannot be disactivated)

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no, they do not make a difference
RefWorks (web based): yes, they make difference: ("liberte" will not retrieve "liberté" and viceversa)
Pr: no difference, "Göthe" = "Gothe"
En: no difference, "Göthe" = "Gothe" ; "unità" = "unita" and viceversa  (but Goethe is another name)
RM: yes, they make difference "liberte" is not the same as "liberté"

Q -  Can use and nest parentheses, create real query expressions

EndNoteWeb (web based):   yes
RefWorks (web based): no, automatically ruled and to a limited extent: according to its vertical priority, the up most query element is the first and inner most within the implicit search expression (A OR B) AND (C OR D) could become:  (((A OR B) AND C) OR D); also:  (A AND B) OR (C AND D) could become: (((A AND B) OR C) AND D), which is totally different
Pr: yes
En: no, automatically ruled and to a limited extent: according to its vertical priority, the up most query element is the first and inner most within the implicit search expression, e.g. "A and B not C or D" is equal to: "(((A and B) not C) or D)" thus the whole first part result will be ored with D, therefore it is different from: "(A and B) not (C or D)" which cannot do.
RM: not really; to a limited extent and implicitly: according to its vertical priority, the upmost query element is the first and inner most within the implicit search expression, e.g. A and B not C or D is equal to: (((A and B) not C) or D) = the whole first part result will be ored with D therefore it is different from: (A and B) not (C or D) which cannot do;
neither can do: (A or B) and (C or D) unless each couple (triple etc.) of values belongs to the same field [i.e. it is possible Titles [3,13,23] = {dolphins } OR {atlantic} OR {bottlenose} AND Authors [4,14,24] = {Auxe,W.W.} OR {Orso,Franco}]

R -  Priority within search operators and queries

EndNoteWeb (web based):   set by using parentheses
RefWorks (web based): vertically: first comes the upper most, see Q above
Pr: set by using parentheses, the inner most comes first
En: vertically: first comes the upper most, see Q above
RM: no explicit parentheses; vertically: the highest comes first, see Q above

S -  Boolean operators
    1. AND
    2. OR
    3. NOT (unary)
    4. AND NOT (binary)
    5. XOR

EndNoteWeb (web based):   "+" (stands for AND -but it is not exactly the same), OR is "blank", NOT is "-", adiacency is '"..."' double quotes, parentheses for clauses "(....)"
RefWorks (web based): 1 2 4
Pr: 1 2 3 4, 5 indirectly
En: 1 2 3 (as "omit from showing references") 4, 5 indirectly (two steps: OR + "omit" AND)
RM: 1 2 4

T -  Relational operators
   1. contains 
   2. different <>
   3. less than     <
   4. less or equal    <=
   5. greater than     >
   6. greater or equal     >=
   7. range   
   8. equal

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no
RefWorks (web based): no
Pr: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 for dates (or via: x > y and x < z), 8
En: 1, 2 as "Omit from showing references" option, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (e.g. "1998 in Year Is greater than or equal to, And, 2000 in Year Is less than or equal to"; other finding options must not be checked), 8
RM: 1, (3 only for earlier than today's date in Reprint status=On request); 7 in dates and RefID (RN) only;

U -  Can combine boolean, relational operators, parentheses, truncation etc.

EndNoteWeb (web based):   yes
RefWorks (web based): no
Pr: yes
En: yes (given the abovementioned constraints)
RM: yes: boolean, range and truncation within the abovementioned constraints

V -  Truncated search (wildcards are explicit or implicit?)
    1. explicit or implicit
    2. right
    3. left
    4. l/r

EndNoteWeb (web based):   right * explicit
RefWorks (web based): 1 implicit 2 3 4
Pr: 1 yes (* ASCII 42) 2  (avoid right tr. by using "Ends with" operator); 3  (avoid left tr. by using "Begins with" operator); 4 : operator "contains"

"contains" is like "=" equal, with implicit l/r truncation; whereas explicit l/r truncation ( *xxx*) is used with "=" e.g. AUTHOR contains ale, AUTHOR = *ale*, no: AUTHOR contains *ale*,)

En: 1 l/r implicit; 2 right (avoid right truncation by using also "Field ends with" operator); 3 left; 4 l/r  "Contains" operator (unavailable when using Match words; avoid left tr. by using "Word" or "Field begins with" operator)
RM: l/r explicit in indexed fields which require truncation symbol; l/r implicit in non-indexed fields (which will take * as a real character, reverting to \*)

W -  Search for not/empty fields

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no
RefWorks (web based): no
Pr: yes (dedicated operators: EMPTY, NOT EMPTY)
En: yes, empty: "field" is [blank]; not empty: "field" is [blank] and select "Omit from showing references" option
RM: "yes", only in indexed fields: look for records (RefID range, e.g. 1-1000) then, e.g., Authors "empty" is NOT Authors  * (any character); whereas Authors "not empty"  AND any character *

X -  Internal wildcards ("masking" e.g. ? *, where m*ss stands for miss mass mess mistress ...)

EndNoteWeb (web based):   no
RefWorks (web based): no
Pr: no
En: no
RM: no

Y -  Z39.50,  Pubmed ... Searching

EndNoteWeb (web based):   yes

  1. completely hidden to the user
  2. search interface offers multiple windows and boolean operators, fields choice depends on the target database
  3. cannot search different databases simultaneously, or launch more than one query
  4. does not automatically save result in db, must transfer it into a group
  5. cannot save search expressions
  6. cannot modify or create new basic connections *
  7. cannot modify import filters or create new ones *
  8. cannot specify text characters set (ANSEL, Latin-1...)*
    * cannot modify them directly within EndNote Web: must do it within EndNote desktop and the Administrator can upload them

RefWorks (web based): yes

  1. proprietary search engine
  2. use limited search interface (quick search + optional refinement on five fields, cannot use parentheses)
  3. cannot search different databases simultaneously, or launch more than one query
  4. automatically saves result in db without asking for conversion, separate folder
  5. cannot save search expressions
  6. can modify or create new basic connections
  7. cannot modify import filters or create new ones
  8. cannot specify text characters set (ANSEL, Latin-1...)
Pr: yes
  1. embedds BookWhere® search engine;
  2. use special -simplified and limited- search interface (e.g.: cannot use parentheses: (A or B) and (C or D) will not be possible);
  3. can search different databases simultaneously;
  4. automatically converts and saves result in db, separate folder;
  5. can save search expressions; 
  6. modify or add new hosts and configure; 
  7. configure conversion filters which are separate files but many connections can share the same filter (e.g. MARC21); one single file contains all the different hosts configurations and properties;
  8. cannot specify text characters set (ANSEL or Latin-1 etc.)
En: yes
  1. embedded proprietary software built upon the Yaz toolkit;
  2. use same interface as normal searching function (with less options but it can also search in command line mode: \\[search-term]&/attribute type/attribute value ...);
  3. cannot search different databases simultaneously, but can launch more than one parallel search session; 
  4. automatically save result in a group or db without asking for conversion;
  5. can save search expressions; 
  6. modify or add new hosts and configure; 
  7. configure conversion filters; host configuration, connection properties are stored in individual files so that many connections cannot share the same conversion filter (e.g. MARC21) but copies or adaptations of it; 
  8. can specify text characters set (ANSEL, Latin-1, Unicode UTF-8, Unicode UTF-16 ... etc.) and > 20 record format syntaxes
RM: yes
  1. embedds BookWhere® search engine;
  2. use same interface as normal searching function (practically cannot use parentheses);
  3. can search different databases simultaneously;
  4. automatically converts and saves result in db, separate folder;
  5. can save search expressions; 
  6. modify or add new hosts and configure;
  7. configure conversion filters which are separate files but many connections can share the same filter (e.g. MARC21, UNIMARC); one single file contains all the different hosts basic configurations and properties; 
  8. can specify text characters set (ANSEL or Latin-1)
  9. in addition to Z39.50 hosts, an "ISI" option lets -password required- search ISI databases, such as Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts & Humanities Citation Index. Resulting records can be donwloaded, automatically converted and linked back to records in ISI's database
  10. can generate OpenUrl compliant data from citations and send them to a link resolver 

Z - Number of Z39.50 targets/connections

EndNoteWeb (web based):    2146 but cannot modify them directly: must do it within EndNote desktop and the Administrator can upload them
RefWorks: > 635 + Administrator can define other connections (address, port ...) with no limitations, but cannot create/modify conversion filters 
Pr: ca 110, can define others with no limitations; can create/modify conversion filters
En:  ca 2.800 + can define others with no limitations: each is a separate file; can create/modify conversion filters [more filters are available at the publisher's website]
RM ca 1.000, can define others with no limitations; can create/modify conversion filters

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