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Australian Jounals OnLine

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This page describes how you may search and browse the AJOL database and what results to expect:

  1. Searching the AJOL database
  2. Search Results - What to expect
  3. Browsing the AJOL database
  4. Browse Results - What to expect
  5. Additional Search Tips
 

1. Searching the AJOL database

Simple Searches

A simple search of the AJOL database may be performed by simply entering the word or words that you wish to search into the text box and then submitting your search.

A search will then be conducted for the search word(s) as Keywords within the Title fields of All Publications listed on the database.

If successful a brief records list or a single full record will be displayed.

If your simple search is unsuccessful then you may wish to conduct an advanced search.


Advanced Searches

An advanced search will involve changing one or more of the default options. Descriptions of each choice are given below:

Title, Subject or All Fields?

Title

The simple or default search is on Title. This includes both the Title and Alternative Title fields within the database. Alternative Titles include former, later or other titles by which a journal is known or identified and which have been included in the AJOL record.

Subject

A search for publications according to their subject or topic may be performed by selecting the Subject option. The Subject(s) assigned to journals in the AJOL database are derived from the APAIS Thesaurus. A successful result will only be achieved if the search term matches a subject term which has already been assigned.

All Fields

A broader search across all fields of the database may be performed by selecting the All Fields option. All Fields includes the Title, Alternative Title, Description, Subject and Publisher fields within the database.

To change the search from Title to Subjects or All Fields simply select the option on the search form, eg:

Field Search

Keywords or Phrase?

Keywords

If you wish your search terms to be treated as keywords, eg: animals birds then a search will be conducted for records containing both animals AND birds. If the combination of keywords given is not found then there will be no result.

Phrase

If you wish your search terms to be treated as a phrase, ie: australian plants, then selecting Phrase will ensure that the words will be searched and results delivered if an exact match of the words and order appear in any record.

To change the default option from Keywords to Phrase then simply select this option on the search form, eg:

Phrase search

All Publications?

The default AJOL search is across all publication types listed in the database. However, to limit your search to either journals (full-text online publications), newspapers, promotional sites (including only sample online fulltext issues or selected articles) or sites which only provide abstracts, then simply select the option on the search page, eg:

Type of Publication search

2. Search Results - what to expect

A search of the AJOL database will initially result in one of three outcomes, ie: a list of brief records, a full record display, or a message.

Brief Record Lists

A successful search of the database which retrieves multiple entries will display as a list of brief records. The information provided for each title retrieved will include Title, URL and Subject. The URL will be active and you may elect to link directly to the journal site from this list. However you also have the option of viewing the full record which provides a more comprehensive description of the journal.

Brief Record

Full Records

A successful search of the database which retrieves a single entry will display as a full record. The information provided for each title retrieved will include Title, URL, Subject, Description, Publisher and other details. The URL will be active and you may link directly to the journal site from this record. A Full Record may also be viewed from a Brief Records List.

Full Record

Messages

An unsuccessful search of the database which result in a message "No Results". You may either use your browser BACK button to return to the AJOL Home/Search page, Click on the Button "Main Menu", or Click on the link "Perform a new search".

AJOL Message


3. How to Browse the AJOL database

The AJOL Browse form includes a data entry box in which to type the first word or letter(s) of a word that you wish to browse.

Browse Options

The browse form allows you to select either of two areas to browse:

Title

If you wish to browse by title, then selecting the Title option will conduct a browse of the Title and Alternative Title fields within the database. Alternative titles include former, later or other titles by which a journal is known or identified.

Subject

If you wish to browse the database by subject or topic, then selecting the Subject option will conduct a browse of the Subject field within the database. The subjects assigned to journals within the database are derived from the APAIS Thesaurus. Results will only match those subjects which have already been assigned.

AJOL Browse

4. Browse Results - what to expect

A browse of the AJOL database will initially result in one of two outcomes, ie: a list of titles/subjects, or a message.

Brief Record List

A successful browse of the database will retrieve a list of titles/subjects (to a maximum of 50 entries). Each title will be linked to the full record which will provide a comprehensive description of the journal plus an active link to site.

AJOL Browse Results List

Full Record

A full record of a journal may be retrieved by linking from the Browse Results - Brief Record List. The information provided for each title retrieved will include Title, URL, Subject, Description, Publisher and other details. The url will be active and you may link directly to the journal site from this record.

AJOL Browse Full Record

Message

An unsuccessful search of the database which result in a message "Sorry, No Records Found". You may either use your browser BACK button to return to the AJOL Home/Search page or Click on the Link "Perform a New Search".


5. Additional Search Tips

The following information will also assist you in your searches and understanding of search and browse results.

Defunct Journals

The AJOL database includes all known online Australian journals, including those which are no longer active or are defunct. To avoid retrieving inactive sites via the AJOL search mechanism these titles have been suppressed and will not be displayed in any search results. However, defunct journals may still be retrieved via the browse mechanism. Any full records of defunct titles retrieved via the browse form will include a DEFUNCT notice. The link to their former url will not be active.

Capitals, Punctuations and Diacritics

Search and browse terms may be entering in UPPER or lower case or a combination of both. They will retrieve the same results. For example: australia, Australia, and AUSTRALIA may all be used.

Punctuation is permitted in searching. For example, if any punctuation is included within an entry, such as: "Australia's" then this will be retrieved if included in the search term. Omitting punctuation marks in search terms may retrieve different or no results.

"The"

A number of journal titles begin with "The". "The" has been included in the AJOL title fields and may be searched and browsed to reveal relevant entries.

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Last updated Thursday 13-Nov-2003
http://www.nla.gov.au/ajol/help.html