SuperSearch Overview

What is SuperSearch?

SuperSearch provides a quick, easy and personalized interface which can metasearch (search simultaneously) for information in a variety of information resources, such as catalogues, reference databases, digital repositories, or subject-based Web gateways. These information resources are collectively referred to as "databases". Once you have found the information in which you are interested, SuperSearch provides you with the tools to save it for future reference in your eShelf (My Stuff), save it to disk, send it by email or use Source It, the linking server which provides additional services, such as the links to the full text of articles.

You can search multiple databases in parallel using the Resource Sets and MetaSearch components.

You can also search for individual databases using Find Database. You can always search databases using their native interface by simply clicking the database name. This function also enables you to create your own lists of databases which you can search.

For more information contact library inquiries .

Logging In

You can use SuperSearch as a guest, or as an authenticated user by identifying yourself using your University email username and password.

Guests are not able to save information beyond when a session ends. At any time during the session a guest can log on as an authenticated user and then the current session's data is saved. A guest's access rights are generally less than those of an authenticated user. For example, a guest may be able to access certain databases when working at designated computers in the library, but not on any other computers.

Logging in as an authenticated user (by entering your University email username and password) allows you to access all the databases that the Library provides. It also enables you to take advantage of SuperSearch's personalized services, using My Stuff.

To log in as an authenticated user:

Click the Log In link on the top of the page or next to the title of a licensed database.
Enter your University email username and password

See also: Logging Out

Logging Out

When you log out, you end a SuperSearch session. This means that some temporary information is not saved, (such as Previous Searches.(Previous Searches are only preserved during a session, unless you specifically save them to My Stuff)

Generally, you should log out when you leave your station unattended for reasons of privacy and to prevent others from using your access rights.

Log out by clicking the logout option at top right.

SuperSearch will automatically log you out when you close the browser or if SuperSearch has not been used for about 30 minutes. If this happens, you can simply log back in.

See also: Logging In

Which Databases Can I Search?

SuperSearch enables you to search in a variety of information resources, such as catalogues, reference databases, digital repositories, or subject-based Web gateways. These information resources can be local or remote. In SuperSearch, for the sake of brevity, information resources are collectively referred to as "databases".

The Library's subscriptions determine which databases you can access. You can select which of these databases to search, as follows:

Resource Sets is the easiest search to use. You can search the default list of databases (popular databases) or you can select from other ready-made lists of databases prepared by the institution called Resource Sets, or your own lists that you have prepared yourself (My Databases).
MetaSearch enables complete control over which databases are searched and provides a variety of additional options. You can locate databases in several ways, such as by title, by category or subcategory, or by other criteria. You can also use database lists that the Library has prepared (Resource Sets) or which you have prepared yourself (My Databases).
The Find Database function enables you to locate databases in several ways, such as by title, by subject or subcategory, or by other criteria. Once you find an interesting database, you can search it on the spot or you can add it to your database clipboard, along with other databases. You can use this clipboard for searching in the databases that you selected by using MetaSearch . You can also use this clipboard to build your own database lists (My Databases).

Databases in SuperSearch are offered at three levels of functionality:

Full functionality (most databases) - fully searchable in SuperSearch and capable of returning results for display in SuperSearch.
Intermediate "search and link" level. These databases can be searched by SuperSearch, but cannot send their results to display in SuperSearch. You can recognise these resources by noting the "search and link" status message in results screens. You must view the results of searches in these databases in their native interface - follow the "view results" link to do this .
Basic "link-to" level. These databases or resources are not capable of receiving a metasearch query from SuperSearch. Instead, you must search these in their native interface. Simply click the database name to go to the native interface. There are several ways to recognise link-to resources:
- The "link-to" symbol appears alongside the database name in most displays
- In database lists, the search symbol never appears alongside link-to resources
- MetaSearch screens you will not see a checkmark next to their names, denoting that they will not be included in a metasearch. e.g., Lexis-Nexis in this example:

You can always access the native interface of the database by clicking the database name. This enables you to use the database-specific searching options offered by the information provider.

Databases that are not authorized for searching for authenticated users are indicated with a lock symbol . Databases that are not authorized for searching by guests are also indicated with this lock symbol .

Database subjects and sub-categories

The Library categorizes electronic databases into subjects and subcategories. You can locate databases by selecting a subject and/or subcategory in Find Database or in MetaSearch.

A sample subject is Education, which contains a list of all the databases that focus on Education.

Each subject of databases is sub-divided into sub-categories. For example, a sub-category called Special Education and Health appears under Education.

The All sub-category includes all the databases in the selected subject.

General includes all the databases that do not belong to a specific subcategory.

Searching Overview

SuperSearch provides the following search options:

Resource Sets: Resource Sets is fast and easy. Simply select your desired set by checking its radio button, enter a term and click Go . You also have the option to select in which set of databases to search. You can select a Resource Set (a set of databases prepared by the Library) or your own lists of databases (called My Databases). An Advanced Search function provides more options for specifying the information for which you are searching.
MetaSearch: The term metasearch, also known as federated searching or cross-database searching, means to submit a query to numerous databases at once. The query is broadcast to each database, and an integrated list of the results is displayed from all the databases according to the results' relevancy rank. MetaSearch provides a variety of options for specifying the databases in which it searches and the results you view. It also offers an Advanced Search function.
In addition, you can locate a specific database using Find Database, and then search in it using Search in Database .
Click the database name to access the database's on interface (the native interface, or vendor interface) directly.
You can go back to previously searches performed in the current session using Previous Searches. under the MetaSearch tab, or rerun searches that you saved in My Searches and Alerts in previous sessions.
Based on queries saved in your My Searches and Alerts , you can define Alerts which search automatically at intervals of your choice. An Alert notifies you by email when new records are added that match the search criteria.

Searching tips

The term that you enter in a search query has a significant effect on the results that will be found.
When asked to enter a term, you can enter an entire phrase consisting of a few words, a single word, a single letter or part of a word followed by a question mark (?). This is called a wild card, or truncation. You can use a question mark as wild card (meaning type "optim?" to find records containing "optimal", "optimize", and "optimum").
Do not put terms in quotation marks, and avoid punctuation.
Avoid using words such as 'a' 'an' 'the' in your search. The more search terms used, the more specific, and fewer the results.
To broaden your search results, use synonyms or truncate words with a question mark.
The standard format for authors' names is Last, First. Due to variations of the standard, it may be best to try variations on the name, or to truncate it, as in Johnson, M?
It is difficult to predict whether a database lists its subjects as "maps, ancient" or "ancient maps". For the best results, search maps AND ancient.

Saving What You Find

Saving Database Lists: Once you have found the databases in which you want to search, you can add them to your database clipboard using , and from there, if you wish, to your own database lists (called My Databases) using . Your database lists can then be searched using Resource Sets or MetaSearch . The database clipboard can be searched using MetaSearch .
Saving Search Results: Once you have found the results that you want, you can save them in your basket . Your basket is a temporary storage for records that you find interesting. You can later move records from the basket to another folder, save records to disk (in various formats) or email them. You can save an individual search result or send it by mail from the Full View of the record. Click the title of the item to see the individual search result in full.
Saving Queries: You see all the searches you made during the session in Previous Searches, which is found under the MetaSearch tab. Once you have found a query that provides you with good results, you can store it for future sessions in My Searches and Alerts . You can also have a search periodically check the databases and update you by email using the Alert function in My Searches and Alerts .