USGS Logo: Link to U.S. Geological Survey

Search Instructions


A number of resources on the Northern Prairie web site have powerful search capabilities. The software being utilized in the searchable resources provides the user with an interface consisting of a search form and buttons that will assist navigation through selected bibliographies and databases. NOTE: Navigation during the search session is dependent on the use of the buttons provided within the search interface. The use of Internet browser buttons—such as the "Back" button—while a search session is being conducted will cause errors to occur.

Due to software restrictions, each searchable resource has a limited number of search sessions that can be active at one time by multiple users. In the event that the maximum number of sessions are in use at the time of your search, you will be notified and instructed to try again after a brief period. The search session becomes active as soon the "Enter" link is clicked on the resource's main page. The session will remain active, or "logged on", until the user is "logged out" of the search interface. Logging out makes a new search session available to other users. If a search session is exited without properly logging out, the session will remain active and unavailable to other users until the session is timed out by the browser.

You can "log out" of the search session by clicking on one of three items: (1) the Return to Resource Home Page link, (2) the NPWRC navigational links at the bottom of the page, OR (3) the NPWRC and USGS graphics in the top left corner of the page. The session may also end if it is timed out, which will occur if your browser stands idle for 10 minutes.


To perform a General Query, simply enter the word or phrase that you wish to search for. To conduct a Field-specific Query, use the search type drop box to select the desired field.

Every searchable resource has the following general format:

Search the Sample Resource

Query String :

Search Type :     Maximum Results:

Search Instructions -- Instructions on using the search capabilities at this site.
Sample Entry -- View a sample entry of this resource.
View Current Bibliography -- (100 KB) View the entire Sample Resource or save it to a local ASCII text file.
View New Entries -- View the latest additions to the Sample Resource.


Search Form Features:

Query String
Enter the text you wish to search for here. See the section on Search Criteria below for example query strings and further instruction on searches.
Search Type
Searchable fields for the resource to assist in narrowing your search. Note that not all resources allow for field-specific searches.
Maximum Results
Depending on your query string, you may receive more results than expected. Use this drop-down list to limit the number of results returned. Lowering this number will decrease transfer times.
Submit Query and Clear Form
Use these buttons to initiate your search or clear the form and start over, respectively.
Search Instructions
Each searchable resource has a link to this page of instructions.
View Sample Entry
Use this link to view a sample entry from the resource so you know how the records are formatted.
View Current Resource (Selected resources only)
You may find it useful to download a document containing all of the entries for the particular resource. Approximate size of the file is given to aid in estimating download times.
View New Entries (Living bibliographies only)
Some searchable resources are considered "living", which means they can be updated by users on the fly. Use this link to view the latest additions to the resource.
Return to Menu

Search Criteria

The Query String field allows you to enter search criteria to help you find the desired information. Most of the resources allow for both Field-specific and General queries. A General Query will search each entry for any instance of your string, regardless where in the entry it appears. A Field-specific Query will only search for your string in the specified field.

Queries are not case sensitive so upper and lower case letters may be interchanged with no effect on search results.

The search engine treats words separated by spaces as separate words to search for. If you wish to treat two or more words as a single word you must place the adj operator between the words.

Illegal Queries -- You will not receive an error message if you enter illegal or illogical queries. Instead, it will wait for you to give it a viable query. In order to initiate the search you must hit the submit button.

Return to Menu

Sample Queries

Below is a list of some sample query strings and the output they would generate.

General Queries:

fox
finds all entries in which the word fox occurs
swift fox
finds all entries containing either the word swift or the word fox or both
swift adj fox
finds all entries containing both the word swift and the word fox adjacent to each other (i.e., swift fox)
Return to Menu

Example of Search Results

After your query has been submitted, a list of results will be returned. Each entry in a searchable database is returned in bibliographical format.

Below is an example of the search results for fox:

Search Results

Navigate Swift Fox Search:
Sort by: << Previous Records  Next Records >>

Citations Sorted By Author

Retrieved 3 records. Displaying items 1-3.
SelectCitation
Allen, S. H., J. W. Hoagland, and E. D. Stukel, editors. 1995. Report of the Swift Fox Conservation Team. Denver, Colorado. Unpublished report. Bibliographic Section: Other Publications and Unpublished Reports
Almasi-Klausz, E. E., and L. N. Carbyn. 1998. Winter abundance and distribution of small mammals in the Canadian mixed-grass prairies and implications for the swift fox. Proceedings of the North American Swift Fox Symposium. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Abstract only. Bibliographic Section: Other Publications and Unpublished Reports
Almasi-Klausz, E. E., and L. N. Carbyn. 1999. Winter abundance and distribution of small mammals in the Canadian mixed-grass prairies and implications for the swift fox. Pages 206-209 in J. Thorpe, T. A. Steeves, and M. Gollop, editors. Proceedings of the Fifth Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference. Provincial Museum of Alberta Natural History Occasional Paper No. 24. Edmonton, Alberta. Bibliographic Section: Other Publications and Unpublished Reports
<< Previous Records  Next Records >>
Return to Bibliography home page

Search Results Features:

Back to Search
Use this button to go back and perform a new search.
Display Selections
Use this button to display only the results that you have checked.
Clear Selections
Use this button to remove the checkmarks from all of the checked selections.
Previous and Next Records Links
A maximum of 20 results will be displayed at one time. If you have more than 20 results you can use these links to view more results.
Sort by
Many of the searchable resource have the ability to sort your results once retrieved.
Results retrieved and displayed
In the example presented above you can see that we have retrieved 3 records and that records 1-3 are being displayed.
Select
Use the check box to select the citation(s) you wish to view in more detail.
Citation
Displays the bibliography entries that were returned by the query search.
Return to Bibliography Link
Use this link to log out of the session and return to the resources main page.
Return to Menu

Selecting Citations from Search Results

After checking the boxes of the desired citations and hitting the "Display Selections" button on the Search Results page, you are taken to the Selected Citations page. Selecting the Formatted Bibliography option from the format box will display the results in bibliographical format. Alternatively, selecting the Full Records option from the format box will display all information for each citation.


Selected Citations

Navigate Swift Fox Search:
Choose format: 

Allen, S. H., J. W. Hoagland, and E. D. Stukel, editors. 1995. Report of the Swift Fox Conservation Team. Denver, Colorado. Unpublished report.

Almasi-Klausz, E. E., and L. N. Carbyn. 1999. Winter abundance and distribution of small mammals in the Canadian mixed-grass prairies and implications for the swift fox. Pages 206-209 in J. Thorpe, T. A. Steeves, and M. Gollop, editors. Proceedings of the Fifth Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference. Provincial Museum of Alberta Natural History Occasional Paper No. 24. Edmonton, Alberta.


Selected Citations

Navigate Swift Fox Search:
Choose format: 

Bibliographic Records

AuthorsAllen, S. H., J. W. Hoagland, and E. D. Stukel, editors
TitleReport of the Swift Fox Conservation Team
Year1995
SourceDenver, Colorado. Unpublished report
SectionOther Publications and Unpublished Reports
 
AuthorsAlmasi-Klausz, E. E., and L. N. Carbyn
TitleWinter abundance and distribution of small mammals in the Canadian mixed-grass prairies and implications for the swift fox
Year1999
SourcePages 206-209 in J. Thorpe, T. A. Steeves, and M. Gollop, editors. Proceedings of the Fifth Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference. Provincial Museum of Alberta Natural History Occasional Paper No. 24. Edmonton, Alberta
SectionOther Publications and Unpublished Reports

Selected Citations Features:

Display All
Use this button to go back to the Search Results page.
Refine Search
Use this button to go back and perform a new search.
Choose Format
Many of the searchable resource have the ability to display your selected citations in either the bibliographic format or full records.
Return to Menu