[OPLINLIST] NoveList Notes-March: Creative Uses of the Guided Boolean Search
Lynne Rohweder
LRohweder@epnet.com
Fri, 19 Mar 2004 15:53:10 -0500
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NoveList Notes March, 2004
Please share by forwarding to any other colleagues who would benefit from
this content.
GUIDED BOOLEAN SEARCH IN NOVELIST OFFERS CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Some questions that we have received recently through the NoveList feedback
feature tell us that you want to know more about searching the NoveList
database using the Guided Boolean search. The Guided Boolean search allows
you to specify whether you want to search all the parts of a record or only
some of its fields. For example, you can search only in the subjects field
or you can search both the subjects and reviews fields.
AUTHORS BY NATIONALITY
Whether you are teaching world literature and requiring your students to
read a book by an author who is not American or you are working with a
patron who wants to read fiction by a foreign writer, many of you have asked
us how to search NoveList for an author of a particular nationality.
Scenario: Is there any way in NoveList to generate a list authors by
nationality, such as British authors for example?
In NoveList title records, the subject headings have this format for
indicating the author's nationality:
genre, nationality [of author]
Examples include:
Science fiction, American
Mystery stories, Irish
Suspense stories, English
Love stories, French
Try this:
1. Go into NoveList and click on the START button. (In NoveList K-8, click
the Teacher Resources button at the top of the homepage).
2. Select the Boolean Search link.
3. On the Guided Boolean Search page, enter "stories, English" [or whatever
nationality you want here], and select subjects in the drop down box to the
right of the edit box.
4. At the next line, change the "And" operator to "Or" and enter "fiction,
english" and select subjects again.
5. Click SEARCH. NoveList will retrieve a list of books by English authors.
(Note that the reason that you search for both "fiction" and "stories" is
that title records might have either subject heading. You could skip step
#4 and the search would still work.)
Additional Tip for High Schools: Many curricula require a year of World
Literature, which requires students to read titles by foreign authors. If
this is the case in your school, check out the article called "Opening the
World Story."
To find this article in NoveList: Access NoveList and click the "Features
for Teachers" button at the top of the homepage. Under the heading for
"Articles with Curricular Connections," select the Middle and High School
Articles link, then scroll down to "Opening the World Story." The articles
are in alphabetical order by title. Click on the article title to see the
full article. This article is not available in NoveList K-8.
MATCHING AN AUTHOR'S STYLE WITH MORE TITLES
Many of our customers are looking for additional authors or titles written
in the same "style" as an author that they have really enjoyed. This was
the primary reason that we began Author Read-alikes (in NoveList, not in
NoveList K-8) and these articles have been tremendously successful.
However, there is another strategy that you can try if your favorite author
does not have an Author Read-alikes article yet. This strategy searches the
reviews in NoveList to find comments by reviewers that compare a particular
title or author with the style of another title or author.
This came up recently in a feedback from a NoveList user. We also suggest a
similar scenario for NoveList K-8.
Scenario for NoveList: I love Tracy Chevalier's books (Girl with a Pearl
Earring, The Virgin Blue, Falling Angels). Can you suggest any books that
have her style of writing, not necessarily subject matter.
Try this search:
1. Go to NoveList and click the START button on the homepage.
2. At the New Search page, select the Boolean Search link.
3. On the Guided Boolean Search page, enter "Tracy Chevalier" in the first
edit box and then select the drop down next to the edit field and change it
from "All Fields" to "Review."
4. Drop down to the next line and change the Boolean operator from "And" to
"Not"
5. In the edit field, type in "Tracy Chevalier" [again] and this time change
the drop down next to this edit field to "Author." You are telling NoveList
to search all the reviews in the database and retrieve those reviews that
mention the author's name, "Tracy Chevalier" but DO NOT retrieve any records
where Tracy Chevalier is the author of the title.
6. Click SEARCH. Browse through the search results and click on the links
to the titles. You will have to read the reviews (they will be highlighted
where the match was found) to see how the review mentions Tracy Chevalier.
You will find several titles where reviewers compare the writing of the book
you are viewing as similar to the style of Tracy Chevalier.
Scenario for NoveList K-8: Likewise, in NoveList K-8 you can do a very
similar search (which also works in NoveList) to find other books that are
written in a manner similar to Louis Sachar's Holes.
1. Go to NoveList K-8 and click the Teacher Resources button at the top of
the homepage.
2. At the Teacher Resources page, scroll down and select the Boolean
Searching link.
3. Enter "Louis Sachar" in the first edit box and then select the drop down
next to the edit field and change it from "All Fields" to "Review."
4. Drop down to the next line and change the Boolean operator from "And" to
"Not"
5. In the edit field, type in "Louis Sachar" [again] and change the drop
down next to this edit field to "Author." You are telling NoveList to
search all the reviews in the database and retrieve those reviews that
mention the author name "Louis Sachar" but DO NOT retrieve any records where
Louis Sachar is the author of the title.
6. Click SEARCH. As above, browse through the search results and click on
the links to the titles. You will have to read the reviews (they will be
highlighted where the match was found) to see how the review mentions
Sachar. You will find several titles where reviewers compare the writing of
the book you are viewing as similar to the style of Louis Sachar
USING THE BOOLEAN 'NOT' OPERATOR IN OTHER WAYS
People frequently do not think about the Boolean Operator "NOT" and how it
can be used to find books that they are interested in reading. In addition
to the examples above, here is another way that the NOT Boolean operator can
be useful. Take a look at this recent feedback that we received from a
patron.
I would like to find a book set in medieval England, but I do not want it to
be a romance novel since the vast majority of books written about this time
period seem to be romance novels. I would like to be able to search on a
term such as (medieval England) but be able to exclude other terms
(romance).
Solution:
1. Go to NoveList and click the START button on the homepage.
2. Select the Boolean Search link.
3. On the Guided Boolean Search page, enter "medieval england" in the first
edit box (All Fields). Then select the Boolean operator NOT (drop down where
it says "And") and type romance in the second edit field, selecting Subjects
(in the drop down box where it says "All Fields." This will tell NoveList to
search and retrieve all books that have medieval England in them BUT NOT
retrieve any titles that have romance as the genre.
4. Click SEARCH and check out the results.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>NoveList=20
Notes <SPAN=20
class=3D559594620-19032004> &nb=
sp; =20
</SPAN>March, 2004<BR></FONT></STRONG><EM>Please share by forwarding to =
any=20
other colleagues who would benefit from this =
content.</EM></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>GUIDED BOOLEAN =
SEARCH IN=20
NOVELIST OFFERS CREATIVE SOLUTIONS </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Some questions that we have received =
recently=20
through the NoveList feedback feature tell us that you want to know =
more about=20
searching the NoveList database using the Guided Boolean search. =
The=20
Guided Boolean search allows you to specify whether you want to search =
all the=20
parts of a record or only some of its fields. For example, you =
can search=20
only in the subjects field or you can search both the subjects and =
reviews=20
fields. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>AUTHORS BY=20
NATIONALITY</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Whether you are teaching world =
literature and=20
requiring your students to read a book by an author who is not American =
or you=20
are working with a patron who wants to read fiction by a foreign =
writer, many of=20
you have asked us how to search NoveList for an author of a particular=20
nationality. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Scenario: Is there any way in NoveList =
to generate=20
a list authors by nationality, such as British authors for example?=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In NoveList title records, the subject =
headings=20
have this format for indicating the author's =
nationality: <BR>genre,=20
nationality [of author] </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Examples include:<BR> Science =
fiction,=20
American<BR> Mystery stories, Irish<BR> Suspense stories,=20
English<BR> Love stories, French</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Try this:<BR>1. Go into NoveList and =
click on the=20
START button. (In NoveList K-8, click the Teacher Resources button at =
the top of=20
the homepage). <BR>2. Select the Boolean Search link.<BR>3. On the =
Guided=20
Boolean Search page, enter "stories, English" [or whatever nationality =
you want=20
here], and select subjects in the drop down box to the right of the =
edit=20
box. <BR>4. At the next line, change the "And" operator to "Or" =
and enter=20
"fiction, english" and select subjects again. <BR>5. Click =
SEARCH. =20
NoveList will retrieve a list of books by English authors. (Note that =
the reason=20
that you search for both "fiction" and "stories" is that title records =
might=20
have either subject heading. You could skip step #4 and the =
search would=20
still work.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><EM><STRONG>Additional Tip for High=20
Schools:</STRONG> Many curricula require a year of World Literature, =
which=20
requires students to read titles by foreign authors. If this is =
the case=20
in your school, check out the article called "Opening the World=20
Story."</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><EM>To find this article in NoveList: =
Access=20
NoveList and click the "Features for Teachers" button at the top of the =
homepage. Under the heading for "Articles with Curricular Connections," =
select=20
the Middle and High School Articles link, then scroll down to "Opening =
the World=20
Story." The articles are in alphabetical order by title. =
Click on=20
the article title to see the full article. This article is not =
available in=20
NoveList K-8.</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>MATCHING AN AUTHOR'S STYLE =
WITH MORE=20
TITLES</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Many of our customers are looking for =
additional=20
authors or titles written in the same "style" as an author that they =
have really=20
enjoyed. This was the primary reason that we began Author =
Read-alikes (in=20
NoveList, not in NoveList K-8) and these articles have been =
tremendously=20
successful. However, there is another strategy that you can try =
if your=20
favorite author does not have an Author Read-alikes article yet. =
This=20
strategy searches the reviews in NoveList to find comments by reviewers =
that=20
compare a particular title or author with the style of another title or =
author. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This came up recently in a feedback =
from a NoveList=20
user. We also suggest a similar scenario for NoveList K-8. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Scenario for NoveList: I love Tracy =
Chevalier's=20
books (Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Virgin Blue, Falling Angels). Can =
you=20
suggest any books that have her style of writing, not necessarily =
subject=20
matter.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Try this search:<BR>1. Go to NoveList =
and click the=20
START button on the homepage. <BR>2. At the New Search page, select the =
Boolean=20
Search link.<BR>3. On the Guided Boolean Search page, enter "Tracy =
Chevalier" in=20
the first edit box and then select the drop down next to the edit field =
and=20
change it from "All Fields" to "Review."<BR>4. Drop down to the next =
line and=20
change the Boolean operator from "And" to "Not"<BR>5. In the edit =
field, type in=20
"Tracy Chevalier" [again] and this time change the drop down next to =
this edit=20
field to "Author." You are telling NoveList to search all the =
reviews in=20
the database and retrieve those reviews that mention the author's name, =
"Tracy=20
Chevalier" but DO NOT retrieve any records where Tracy Chevalier is the =
author=20
of the title. <BR>6. Click SEARCH. Browse through the search =
results and=20
click on the links to the titles. You will have to read the =
reviews (they=20
will be highlighted where the match was found) to see how the review =
mentions=20
Tracy Chevalier. You will find several titles where reviewers =
compare the=20
writing of the book you are viewing as similar to the style of Tracy=20
Chevalier. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Scenario for NoveList K-8: Likewise, =
in NoveList=20
K-8 you can do a very similar search (which also works in NoveList) to =
find=20
other books that are written in a manner similar to Louis Sachar's =
Holes.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>1. Go to NoveList K-8 and click the =
Teacher=20
Resources button at the top of the homepage. <BR>2. At the Teacher =
Resources=20
page, scroll down and select the Boolean Searching link.<BR>3. Enter =
"Louis=20
Sachar" in the first edit box and then select the drop down next to the =
edit=20
field and change it from "All Fields" to "Review."<BR>4. Drop down to =
the next=20
line and change the Boolean operator from "And" to "Not"<BR>5. In the =
edit=20
field, type in "Louis Sachar" [again] and change the drop down next to =
this edit=20
field to "Author." You are telling NoveList to search all the =
reviews in=20
the database and retrieve those reviews that mention the author name =
"Louis=20
Sachar" but DO NOT retrieve any records where Louis Sachar is the =
author of the=20
title. <BR>6. Click SEARCH. As above, browse through the search =
results=20
and click on the links to the titles. You will have to read the =
reviews=20
(they will be highlighted where the match was found) to see how the =
review=20
mentions Sachar. You will find several titles where reviewers =
compare the=20
writing of the book you are viewing as similar to the style of Louis=20
Sachar</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><BR><STRONG>USING THE BOOLEAN 'NOT' OPERATOR IN OTHER =
WAYS</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>People frequently do not think about the Boolean Operator "NOT" =
and how it=20
can be used to find books that they are interested in reading. In =
addition=20
to the examples above, here is another way that the NOT Boolean =
operator can be=20
useful. Take a look at this recent feedback that we received from a =
patron.=20
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I would like to find a book set in medieval England, but I do not =
want it=20
to be a romance novel since the vast majority of books written about =
this time=20
period seem to be romance novels. I would like to be able to search on =
a term=20
such as (medieval England) but be able to exclude other terms =
(romance). </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Solution:<BR>1. Go to NoveList and click the START button on the=20
homepage.<BR>2. Select the Boolean Search link.<BR>3. On the Guided =
Boolean=20
Search page, enter "medieval england" in the first edit box (All =
Fields). Then=20
select the Boolean operator NOT (drop down where it says "And") and =
type romance=20
in the second edit field, selecting Subjects (in the drop down box =
where it says=20
"All Fields." This will tell NoveList to search and retrieve all books =
that have=20
medieval England in them BUT NOT retrieve any titles that have romance =
as the=20
genre. <BR>4. Click SEARCH and check out the results.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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