Search Tips

Searching for information on the Technical Editing SIG web site is easy. This page contains some basic tips to help you find whatever you're looking for!

• Search Tips
  • Minimum Search Query
  • Capitalization
  • Automatic "or" Queries
    • Requiring Terms
    • Excluding Terms
  • Exact Phrase
  • Word Roots
  • Grouping Terms
  • Refining Results

Minimum Search Query

Each search term must contain a minimum of 3 characters. Search terms with fewer than 3 characters are ignored.

Capitalization

Search terms are not case sensitive.

For example, searching for wiki, Wiki, and WIKI will return the same results.

Automatic "or" Queries

By default, the search returns all pages that contain any of the search terms. For example, searching for wiki newsletter will return pages that:

• Contain only the word wiki
• Contain only the word newsletter
• Contain both the words wiki and newsletter

Requiring Terms

To indicate that a search term must appear in the results, type a plus ( + ) before the search term. For example, searching for +wiki newsletter will return pages that:

• Contain only the word wiki
• Contain both the words wiki and newsletter

Excluding Terms

To indicate that a search term must not appear in the results, type a minus ( - ) before the search term. For example, searching for -wiki newsletter will return pages that:

• Contain the word newsletter but not the word wiki

Exact Phrase

To search for a specific phrase, enclose the phrase in quotes ( " ). For example, searching for "wiki newsletter" will return pages that

• Contain the exact phrase wiki newsletter

Word Roots

Add an asterisk ( * ) immediately after a word to find pages that include the root word. For example, searching for run* will return pages that:

• Contain the word runner
• Contain the word running

Grouping Terms

Use parenthesis to group words into subexpressions.

Refining Results

After performing a search query, you can refine the results to show only matches from specific parts of the site.


For example, you can refine your search query to show only:

• Wiki pages (such as news articles)
• File galleries (files that have been uploaded)
• Forums (forum posts and threads)
• Resource Directory (links that have been submitted)
• News Articles

Use the All Matches link to "un-refine" the query and show all results.

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