Search Term Operators
In most cases, the Funnelback search engine produces high quality results from simple queries consisting of a list of words.
Funnelback, however, also allows you to craft more detailed queries using specific Funnelback search operators. For example, operators can be used to search for plural forms of your search words, or search for words that only partly match your search words.
All of the search operators listed below can be used in the simple search field or in the 'Any of the words' field in Advanced Search.
The following are the most common Funnelback search operators:
Quote marks, e.g. "search words"
Placing quote marks around a string of words will return results that contain all those words in that exact sequence. This is the same as using the 'The exact phrase' field in Advanced Search.
Minus sign, e.g. search -words
Placing a minus sign in front of a search term will return only results that do not contain that term. This is the same as using the 'Without the words' field in Advanced Search.
Plus sign, e.g. search +words
Placing a plus sign in front of a search term will return only results that contain that term. This is the same as using the 'All the words' field in Advanced Search.
Exclamation mark, e.g. search !words
Placing an exclamation mark in front of a search term will exclude documents containing that term from 'fully matching' results, but will still allow those documents to be returned as 'partially matching' results (by comparison, using a minus sign will not allow the documents to show up in either results list).
Square brackets, e.g. [search words]
Placing square brackets around a string of search terms will return 'fully matching' results that contain one or more of those terms. The results screen will not discriminate between results containing only one term and those containing more than one term.
Backquote marks, e.g. `search words`
Placing backquote marks around a string of search terms will return only results that contain all those terms within a total space of 15 words.
Asterisk(s), e.g. sear*, *arch, *ear*
Placing asterisk(s) before and/or after a search term will return results that contain that term as well as any results that contain that term as part of a larger word (where the extra letters are positioned in place of the asterisk(s)).
Hash, e.g. search# word#
Placing a hash at the end of a search term will return results that contain that term as well as any results that contain a recognised variation, such as a plural or adjective form of the term (even if that form alters the spelling of the core term).
D and bracket(s), e.g. d<20sep2004, d>apr2002, d>2001<2005, d<2002>2003
d and bracket(s) are entered as a separate search term, and allow the user to limit their search results to those results last modified within a certain date range via the following syntax:
- d<(date) means results published before the date;
- d>(date) means results published after the date;
- d>(date)<(date) means results published after the first date but before the second date; or
- d<(date)>(date) means results published before the first date but after the second date.
- Dates can be written in several forms: 9feb2005 (full date, month and year); feb2005 (month and year only); or 2005 (year only).
