GO Search: Searching in GO Search

1. The basic search function gives you three types of searches to choose from. 
   • Keyword: This search looks for any possible connection between your search term(s) and items related to the term in other categories. 
     • E.g., if you use the word "John" you will not only get items with "John" in the title, but also authors named "John." 
   • Title: This search looks at only the titles of items you as the user search for.
   • Author: This search looks at only the authors associated with items for your search term.
2. The basic search in GO Search looks for all your terms. In other words, if you use the term "Pauline Epistles" as a keyword search then GO Search will look for items that contain the words "Pauline AND Epistles." Both terms must be related to an item in order for it to appear in your results list.

1. The different search boxes allow you to combine different types of searches at once. For example, in the first box you could conduct a journal title/source search for New Testament Studies. This would mean that you would be searching for articles within the journal. In the second box you could type in "Pauline Epistles." This would search for articles with these terms within the New Testament Studies journal.
2. As mentioned above, the default search in GO Search looks for all your search terms. For a more detailed explanation of the different search modes take a look at GO Search's help menu.
3. Some content in GO Search allows you to search the full-text PDF for search terms. This expander allows you to search full-text e-books and journal articles for your search terms.
4. These limiters allow you to fine tune your results before you conduct your search.
   • Full Text: Limits you to content that allows you to read the work in PDF or e-book format.
   • Available in Library Collection:  Some content in GO Search is pulled from other databases that we do not subscribe to. This will limit your results to the Alcott Catalog and other databases that we subscribe to full-text content.
   • Peer Reviewed: This limiter will only bring in peer reviewed or scholarly journal articles into your results list.
   • Abstract Available: Some databases provide brief descriptions, or abstracts, with their content. This limiter will only pull from those databases.
   • Catalog Only: This limiter will only search the content from our Alcott Catalog.

For further help understanding the various search options visit the GO Search​ help menu.

Visit our FAQ page for an answer to any question you have. If you still cannot find an answer, the Reference Assistant is the point person for distance students at the library and would be happy to assist you. The Reference Assistant can be reached by email at: reference@sebts.edu.