Biological Abstracts
This information comes from EbscoHost database.

Welcome to the Biological Abstracts Database Information Screen! Browse the topics listed below to find what you are looking for:

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Searching Tips

There are a number of helpful tips and hints you can use to improve your search results. For example, you can use Boolean operators to link search terms together; and/or limit the search to a specific title.

Note: Stopwords are commonly used words such as articles, pronouns, and prepositions. These words are not indexed for searching in the database. For example, 'the', 'for', and 'of' are stopwords. When a stopword is used in a query, any single word or no word is retrieved in place of the stopword.

Boolean Operators

Sometimes a search can be overly general (results equal too many hits) or overly specific (results equal too few hits). To fine-tune your search, you can use AND, OR, and NOT operators to link your search words together. These operators will help you narrow or broaden your search to better express the terms you are looking for and to retrieve the exact information you need quickly.

USING THE "AND" OPERATOR: If you have a search term that is too general, you can append several terms together using "AND". By stringing key terms together, you can further define your search and reduce the number of results. Note: Unless you define a specific search field, the result list will contain references where all your search terms are located in either the citation, full display or full text.

• For example, type organisms AND diseases to find results that refer to both "organisms" and "diseases".

USING THE "OR" OPERATOR: In order to broaden a search, you can link terms together by using the "OR" operator. By using "OR" to link your terms together you can find documents on many topics. Linked by this operator, your words are searched simultaneously and independently of each other.

• As an example, search organisms AND diseases OR rehabilitation to find results that reference the terms "organisms" and "diseases", or the term "rehabilitation".

USING THE "NOT" OPERATOR: In order to narrow a search, you can link words together by using the "NOT" operator. This operator will help you to filter out specific topics you do not wish included as part of your search.

Grouping Terms Together Using Parentheses

Parentheses also may be used to control a search query. Without Parentheses, a search is executed from left to right. Words that you enclose in Parentheses are searched first. Why is this important? Parentheses allow you to control and define the way the search will be executed. The left phrase in Parentheses is searched first; then based upon those results the second phrase in Parentheses is searched.

Generalized Search: organisms or diseases and rehabilitation or germs
Focused Search:(organisms or diseases) and (rehabilitation or germs)

In the first example, the search will retrieve everything on organisms or diseases or rehabilitation AS WELL AS everything on germs whether or not the articles refer to organisms or diseases.

In the second example, we have used Parentheses to control our query to only find articles about rehabilitation or germs that reference diseases or organisms.

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Searchable Fields

The default fields for unqualified searches consist of the following: Title, Original Title, Author, Author Affiliation, Abstract, Chemicals, Conference Name, Organisms, Major Concepts, Super Taxa, Book Title, Book Editor, Book Publisher, Misc. Descriptors, Methods and Equipment, Alternative Indexing, Registry Number, Industry Name, Conference Sponsor, Abstract Available, Taxa Notes, Diseases, Parts& Structures, Geopolitical Descriptors, Time, Source, Sequence Data, Institutions & Organizations, Persons, Conference Location, Conference Date.

The following list will help you locate detailed information referenced in this database as a field.

Searchable
Tag                Description                         Example
  
AB                Abstract                          AB clinical trials
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in
                  the abstract field
  
AF                Author affiliation                AF Harvard
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  author affiliation field
  
AN                Accession Number                  AN BACD200000000613
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  Accession number
  
AU                Author                            AU Jones, T.
                  [Word Indexed]                    or
                  Searches for words in the         AU Jones, Thomas
                  author field. Author's last
                  name followed by first name
                  or initial,  and a middle
                  name or initial
  
BE                Book Editor                       BE Braeuning, A.
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  book editor field
  
BP                Book Publisher                    BP New York
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  book publisher field
  
BT                Book Title                        BT Biology
                  [Word indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  book title field
  
CH                Chemicals                         CH calcium
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  chemicals field
  
CO                Conference or meeting name        CO Proceedings
                  [Word indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  following fields: Conference,
                  Conference Sponsor
  
DE                Major Concepts                    DE animal care
or                [Word Indexed]                    or
MC                Searches words in the major       MC animal care
                  concept headings
  
DS                Diseases                          DS malaria
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  diseases field
  
DT                Date published                    DT 990901
                  [Numerically Indexed]
                  Searches for the date in
                  the YYMMDD format
  
GE                Geopolitical locations            GE France
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  Geopolitical locations field
  
IL                Illustrations                     IL
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  Illustrations
  
IB                ISBN                              IB
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  ISBN number
  
IN                Industry Name                     IN Biological
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  Industry Name field
  
IS                International Standard            IS 00284793
                  Serial Number (ISSN)
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  ISSN number
  
JI                Journal Issue                     JI 15
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact journal
                  issue number; displays in the
                  Source field
  
JN                Journal                           JN Nature Genetics
                  [Phrase indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  journal title
  
JV                Volume                            JV 5
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  journal volume number;
                  displays in the Source field
  
LA                Language                          LA French
                  [Phrase indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  language
  
LO                Local Bitmap                      LO
                  [Bitmaps]
                  Searches for bitmaps
  
MD                Miscellaneous Descriptors         MD Plant
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  Miscellaneous Descriptors
                  field
  
MH                Alternative Indexing              MH Dental Caries
                  [Word indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  Alternative indexing field
  
MQ                Methods and Equipment             MQ Microscope
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  methods and equipment field
  
MT                Media Type                        MT
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact media
                  type
  
NC                Institutions & Organizations      NC France
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  Institutions and Organizations
                  field
  
NP                Person(s) Named                   NP Smith
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  person(s) named field
  
OG                Organisms                         OG medical
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  organisms field
  
OT                Original Title                    OT Botanicae
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the
                  original title field
  
PG                Start Page                        PG 169
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  start page
  
PT                Publication Type                  PT company profile
                  [Phrase Indexed]
                  Searches for the exact
                  publication type, 
                  values consist of the 
                  following:
                  -Article
                  -Article: Erratum
                  -Annual Report
                  -Atlas
                  -Bibliography
                  -Biography
                  -Book
                  -Buyers Guide
                  -Company Profile
                  -Dictionary
                  -Directory
                  -Editorial
                  -Expert Opinion
                  -Glossary
                  -Index
                  -Interview
                  -Letter
                  -Literature Review
                  -Meeting
                  -Manual
                  -New Product Announcement
                  -News
                  -Obituary
                  -Product Review
                  -Software Review
                  -Standard
                  -Technical Report
  
PY                Publication year                   PY 1999
                  [Numerically Indexed]
                  Searched for the publication 
                  year in YYYY format
  
RN                Registry Number                    RN 361-37-5:methysergide
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  registry number field
  
RT                Record Type                        RT Abstract
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  record type field
  
SA                Super Taxa Authority               SA
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  Super Taxa authority field
  
SD                Sequence Data                      SD Amino
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  sequence data field
  
SP                Conference Sponsor                 SP Research Institute 
                  [Word Indexed]                        for development
                  Searches for words in the 
                  Conference Sponsors field
  
SO                Source                             SO National
                  [Word indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  source field
  
ST                Super Taxa                         ST viruses
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  Super Taxa field
  
SU                Subjects                           SU algae
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches words in the 
                  following fields: 
                  Major Concepts, Time, 
                  Super Taxa, Taxa Notes, 
                  Diseases, Parts and Structures, 
                  Geopolitical Descriptors, 
                  Registry Number, Chemicals, 
                  Organisms, Misc. Descriptors, 
                  Methods and Equipment, 
                  Alternative Indexing, 
                  Sequence Data, Persons.
  
SY                Parts & Structures                 SY skeletal system
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  Parts & Structures field
  
TI                Title                              TI flower
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  following field:
                  Title, Original Title, 
                  Book Title
  
TM                Time                               TM age
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  time field
  
TN                Taxa Notes                         TN bacteria
                  [Word Indexed]
                  Searches for words in the 
                  Taxa Notes field
  
UC                Update Code                        UC 19991214
                  [Numerically Indexed]
                  Searches the Updated Code field
  

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Definition of Fields

The following table explains the contents of each field in GeoRef record's detailed display (not all fields are listed in every record).

Field name          Description
  
Title                        The title of the Document.
  
Original Title               The Original un-translated title of the article.
  
Author(s)             Author(s) last name followed by a first 
                             initial, or name, and a middle initial
                             if available.
  
Author Affiliation     Institutional affiliation of the first-listed 
                             author and its geographical location.
  
Conference Name             The title of a scientific meeting or conference, 
                             including the location and date.
  
Source                     The source in which the article was published 
                             and other publication information including
                             date of publication, volume/issue, and page 
                             range of the article.
  
Book Title                   Title of a book, may also include book editor,
                             publisher, and address.
  
Original Book Title          The original title of a book, may also include 
                             book editor, publisher, and address.
  
Item URL                     The Item URL field contains the URL electronic 
                             address for the item referenced in the source 
                             document.
  
Journal URL                  The journal URL field contains the URL electronic 
                             address for the journal.
  
Publication Year     The date of publication in YYYY format.
  
Abstract                     An English-language synopsis or author abstract 
                             of the source document.
  
Registry Numbers             Registry Numbers of the article.
  
Major Concepts             The broad subject areas in the life sciences 
                             covered in the source document; assigned to
                             each citation by BIOSIS staff indexers.
  
Super Taxa             High-level taxonomic terms which refer to broad 
                             categories of organisms, including microorganisms.
  
Taxa Notes             Common names of broad groups of organisms and 
                             microorganisms mentioned in the source document.
  
Organisms             The formal scientific name, or informal common
                             name, for organisms, the higher taxonomic
                             categories, or the names of cell lines mentioned
                             in the source document.
  
Diseases             The names of human, animal, and plant diseases, 
                             disorders, and pathological conditions as described 
                             in the source document.
  
Chemicals                    The names of naturally occurring or synthetic 
                             chemicals and chemical components that are
                             described in the source document.
  
Parts & Structures           The components of organisms above the 
                             macromolecular level as discussed in the
                             source document.
  
Geopolitical Locations       Locations and place names mentioned in the 
                             original source document.
  
Alternative                  The ALT field contains other types of indexing, 
Indexing                     such as MeSH terms.
  
Miscellaneous Terms          The Miscellaneous Terms field contains additional 
                             words and phrases, added by BIOSIS editors, that 
                             do not fit into any of the other fielded 
                             categories. Literalizations are substituted for
                             special characters and symbols, such as Greek
                             letters.
  
Methods & Equipment          The Methods & Equipment field contains information 
                             on the methods, apparatus, and scientific 
                             techniques mentioned in the source document.
  
Sequence Data                The Sequence Data field contains databank 
                             accession numbers, which are modified by
                             appropriate databanks and sequence types.
  
Person(s)Named               The Person(s) Named field contains persons 
                             discussed in the source document.
  
Industry Name                The name of the industry.
  
Institution & Organization   This field contains the name of a company,
                             organization, or institution mentioned in
                             the original source document.
  
Time                     The geological time period or era mentioned in 
                             the original source document.
  
Language                     The language(s) in which the source document was 
                             published.
  
Summary Language       The Summary Language field contains the language 
                             in which the source document abstracts were 
                             published, followed by a two-character language
                             abbreviation in parentheses. The term "Non-English"
                             is also included in this field for documents
                             published in any language other than English.
  
ISSN                         The ISSN assigned to the serial title.
  
ISBN                         The ISBN assigned to the article.
  
Publication Type             Identifies the general type of the document such as 
                             Article, Bibliography, Book, etc.
  
Media Type                   The media type of the article.
  
Record Type                  The type of record.
  
Author URL                   The author URL contains the electronic address for 
                             an author or inventor.
  
                             of the author or inventor.
  
Conference URL               The conference URL contains the electronic address 
                             of the conference.
  
Update Code                  The Update code of the article.
  
Accession Number             A unique number used to identify each document.
  
Note                     Notes of the article.
   

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