Scope

• In most libraries the searcher has a choice of four modes for searching Gale's Infotrac databases. The "Relevance" mode is not available in some libraries' search pages.
• Each mode has certain advantages, but the Advanced Search often provides the most power in terms of control over your searching.

Search Modes

• Subject Guide
  • Usually the default search mode. It takes you to a alphabetical, hierarchical list of subject headings and subheadings (subdivisions). Many of the subject headings are from the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), but Gale Group adds its own sets of standard terms.
  • This search is a good tool to use when you are unsure of the correct terms to use, as the Subject Guide provides cross-references from many terms plus alternative words when it finds no matches for a word that you entered.
  • The core disadvantage of the Subject Guide is that you are constrained by the preset hierarchy of subjects and subdivisions that is provided.
• Keyword Search
  • Searches for words and/or phrases in a choice of:
    • The entire contents of every record
    • The title, citation, and abstract.
  • You can do powerful searching with just about all the search functionality that Gale provides.
• Relevance Search
  • Searches for words, word variants and synonyms, and/or phrases in indexes.
  • Gale's Help pages assert that this search mode "is most effective when two or more search terms are entered. Each term is analyzed for its frequency of use in each article and the frequency of use within all articles. Articles are assigned a higher relevancy score when they contain terms more often, or when they contain terms that are found in relatively few other articles."
• Advanced Search
  • The most powerful search mode.
  • Advanced Search provides multiple fields with pull-down Boolean menus and pull-down Index selection menus.