This document provides instructions for conducting an advanced search on the ABI/Inform database available through the NCC library. It explains how to navigate from the library homepage to the databases page and then to ABI/Inform. It demonstrates how to perform an advanced search on ABI/Inform using multiple search terms, limitations on full text and date range. The results and various options for saving, emailing and finding related articles are also outlined.

1. NCC Library
Home Page
On the Library
Home Page,
click on
“Databases.”

2. NCC Database
Page
This is where
you will find the
databases for
business
research.

3. ABI/Inform
Home Page
Most ABI/Inform home
pages will look like this.
From here, you can either
do a simple keyword
search, using the search
box. Or, you can click on
“Advanced Search” (see
arrow). Advanced Search
allows you to do a more
specific search.

4. Simple Keyword
Search
In a simple keyword search, you
simply type in a keyword. For
instance, “operations
management,” “total quality
control,” “bank fraud” are all
examples of possible keyword
searches. Notice how you can limit
your search to “full text” and “peer
reviewed” (see arrows). This means
that the search will only provide you
with articles that you can access in
their entirety, and only with articles
that have been peer reviewed.

5. Advanced
Search Page
This is what the “advanced
search” page looks like. In an
advanced search, you can add
more search terms. You can
also specify “full text” and
“peer reviewed” here as well.
You can specify the exact dates
you would like to search (for
instance, last five years, last six
months, etc.), and you can also
sort by “relevance” (most
recent first, etc.).

6. You are researching the effects of global warming, and super storms such as Hurricane Sandy, on
coastal insurance rates. Your advanced search could look like this: three search terms: “hurricane,”
“beach erosion” and “insurance.” You’ve also limited your search to full text and peer reviewed articles
from the last three years. You are searching “anywhere” which means that you are looking for articles
where these search terms appear anywhere in the title or text.

7. Use the scroll bars on the right hand side to find other
options for searching, such as by searching by author, or
title, or publication, etc.

8. Here’s what your results page looks like. The highlighted words are the
words you used in your search. Look at the top to find helpful suggestions
on other search terms to continue your search.

9. You’ve now clicked on one of the articles from your search. At the top of
the page, you have many options. You can e-mail the article, print it, copy
and paste the citation, save to a folder, etc.

10. There are additional helpful options on the right hand side. You
can click on “See similar documents” to find other related
articles to your search.

11. Click on “Search with Indexing Terms” to find
other possible search terms to use.

12. Click on “e-brary” to find e-books on your
topic.

13. Congratulations! You’ve
just completed an
Advanced Search.
Remember – if you have any problems of
questions, help is not far away. Just ask a
librarian at the Information Desk.