Basic & Advanced Searching with SmartIndexing
All standard LexisNexis search features apply to index term searches.
- Regular singular/plural forms of words will be retrieved no matter which form you use in your search.
- An ampersand (&), is read by the search engine as a Boolean AND connector. To override, either enclose the phrase in quotation marks or simply leave out the ampersand.
For example: subject("mergers & acquisitions") or subject(mergers acquisitions).
- Searches within indexing segments will also retrieve terms supplied by publishers, such as The New York Times. SmartIndexing is easy to identify, just look for terms in upper case followed by relevance scores.
- SmartIndexing terms can be combined with a free-text search or a search on other segments (HLEAD, DATE, etc.).
- View the index terms assigned to on-point documents, then use those terms to narrowr or expand your search. To view the index terms on a document:
- Nexis: Select the Full With Indexing view.
- lexis.com: Select Custom view, then select TERMS.
- Research Software: Type TERMS to view both the full text of the document and the indexing segments.
Setting up a Search:
segment name(index terms)
The following segments are populated with SmartIndexing terms:
Proper Names
CITY
STATE
COUNTRY
COMPANY
ORGANIZATION
PERSON
Subjects & Industries
SUBJECT
Group Segments
GEOGRAPHIC (searches CITY, STATE and COUNTRY)
TERMS (searches all indexing segments)
Sample Searches:
To find documents concerning joint ventures in Austin, Texas:
subject(joint ventures) and city(austin, tx)
or
terms(joint ventures and austin, tx)
To find documents about executive changes at Microsoft:
company(microsoft) and subjectexecutive moves)
or
terms(microsoft and executive moves)
To find documents on trends among Generation Xers:
subject(trends and Generation X)
To find documents discussing non-US investment opportunities in Peru in 2007:
terms(foreign investment AND peru) AND date is 2007
To eliminate press releases from your result set:
subject(financial results) and not subject(press releases)
To find documents discussing a new product released by Procter & Gamble:
company(procter gamble) and subject(new products)
Search Using Relevence Scores:
To add real power to your SmartIndexing searches, take advantage of the relevance scores that are tagged with each term. By using relevance scores, you have greater control over what results are returned. If you are only interested in major references to a particular topic, for example, you can look for documents that are tagged 85% and above.
Follow these two simple rules when searching with relevance scores and you'll be an expert SmartIndexing searcher in no time!
Rule 1: Type the appropriate syntax after the index term. Add #85plus# after the index term to retrieve major references only.
Example:
subject(trends #85plus# and oil gas industry #85plus#)
Rule 2: Use the exact form of the index term or, when in doubt, insert a PRE/3 connector before the score.
Example:
company(royal dutch pre/3 #85plus#) and city(houston pre/3 #85plus#)
The full controlled company name is Royal Dutch Shell PLC and the full controlled city name is Houston, TX, USA. Use a PRE/3 to be more flexible if you do not know the controlled name. You are telling the search engine that you want Royal Dutch to be three or fewer words in front of the relevance score.
Search for Regions:
There are two ways to search for continents or regions with SmartIndexing.
First, you can enter a particular region or continent in the COUNTRY segment to find stories that are about that region as a whole.
Example:
country(africa) and subject("oil & gas exploration")
Like every other SmartIndexing term, you can add relevance scores to these terms as well.
Example:
country(europe #85plus#) and subject(telecommunications)
Second, if you want to broaden your search and capture stories that discuss every country within a continent or region, use one of the codes below. While the region index terms capture stories that discuss a particular region, these codes are roll-ups that capture any story that is tagged with a country which makes up a given continent or region.
Region / Region Code
Africa / #GT111#
Antarctica / #GT114#
Arctic / #ST0009WRP#
Asia / #GT113#
South East Asia / #GR138#
Astronomical Places / #ST000A1T8#
Australia & Oceania / #GT116#
Caribbean Islands / #GR114#
Central America / #GR116#
Europe / #GT115#
Central Europe / #GR154#
Eastern Europe / #GR146#
Southern Europe / #GR169#
Western Europe / #GR152#
Latin America / #GR118#
Mediterranean / #GR148#
Middle East / #GR132#
North America / #GR120#
United States / #GC343#
Physical Features / #ST000A2KK#
South America / #GR122#
Example:
#gr152# and subject(telecom!)
Send questions, feedback and suggestions for terms to the Indexing Team.
