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Vocabulary-Assisted Searching in the WebZ Out-of-the-Box Interface

 

Introduction

This topic illustrates how the WebZ Out-of-the-Box Interface (OBI), version 1, demonstrates vocabulary-assisted searching. In the OBI, version 1, four databases, PsycFirst, ERIC, Medline, and WorldCat, are associated with thesaurus databases for demonstration purposes, and a number of other catalog and citation (OPAC) databases support vocabulary-assisted searching without an associated thesaurus.

This topic uses three scenarios to show how WebZ handles vocabulary-assisted searching:

The scenarios include graphics that show the OBI screens used to support vocabulary-assisted searching. Supporting text refers to the HTML page used to create each screen. These HTML pages reside in <WebZ_root>/htdocs/obiv1/html, where <WebZ_root> is the location of your SiteSearch environment.

Each scenario includes links to a process flow diagram and explanatory text about the process flow in Vocabulary-Assisted Process Flow. Selecting one of these links displays the target of the link in a second browser window. These links look like this: step 1 in process flow . You can click either the text or the icon.

In each scenario, the patron selects a database (WebZ does not support vocabulary-assisted searching for cross-database searches). In the OBI, if a database is configured to support vocabulary-assisted searching, the search screen (search.html) contains an additional tab -- Term Finder. The patron clicks this tab to initiate vocabulary-assisted searching. This displays the Term Finder screen (termfindersearch.html):

Blank Term Finder screen

This screen has three text boxes for entering search terms. The patron can enter a word or phrase in one, two, or all three text boxes to find related terms. If the patron enters terms in more than one text box, WebZ connects the terms with "or"s when conducting a search for related terms.

When the patron clicks the Go button button, WebZ launches the TermFinderQuery verb (ORG.oclc.obi.extverb.TermFinderQuery). This is a specialized verb that uses the Z39.50 QUERY and FETCH verbs to create term lists on the fly.

 

Scenario 1: Database has thesaurus database and the search term exists in the thesaurus

This scenario uses the PsycFirst database to illustrate using vocabulary-assisted searching when a database has a thesaurus database and the patron's search term(s) exist in the thesaurus database. It begins with a broad topic – rehabilitation – and shows how to use the term list and thesaurus tree display to locate desired resources.

To see a process flow diagram for this scenario, click here link in new window. The process flow diagram appears in a second browser window, as do the links to a more detailed description of the steps in the process flow.

Term Finder Search (termfindersearch.html)

The patron clicks the Term Finder tab on the Search screen to display the Term Finder screen (step 1 in process flow link in new window) .

Term Finder search - rehabilitation - PsycFirst

The patron enters the term rehabilitation on the Term Finder screen and clicks Go button (step 2 in process flow link in second window).

WebZ determines whether the target database (PsycFirst) has a thesaurus database (step 3 in process flow link in second window ). Since it does, WebZ queries PsycFirst's thesaurus database for the term rehabilitation (step 4 in process flow link in second window) and finds a number of records that satisfy this search. WebZ retrieves all of these records and creates a term list for rehabilitation from them (step 5 in process flow link in second window).

Term List (termlist.html)

WebZ displays the term list on termlist.html (step 6 in process flow link in second window). In this scenario, the term list has fourteen terms. For brevity, the graphic shows only the beginning and end of the term list. This graphic includes annotations to highlight the parts of the Term List screen. Blue arrows indicate items that the patron can use to take actions on this screen.

Term List - rehabilitation - PsycFirst

The top section of the term list screen includes instructions for conducting searches using the items on the term list, a Go buttonbutton for executing searches using terms checked on this screen, and a button that allows the patron to jump back to the Term Finder screen.

The Your Terms item allows the patron to conduct a search against PsycFirst using the term rehabilitation in a keyword search. This is the same search available from the Keywords tab on the Search screen (search.html).

Found 14 possible terms in PsyINFO Thesaurus shows the list of terms from PsycFirst's thesaurus database (related to rehabilitation. In this example, there are fourteen terms. Each term has a number, a check box and a hot link [Expand]. The hot link allows the patron to see a thesaurus tree for the term. The check box allows the patron to select the term and use to search for records in PsycFirst that contain the term, using the index specified in PsycFirst's database configuration file (Descriptor Headings, in the OBI, version 1.)

Some terms have a "Used For:" line. This means that the thesaurus uses the term instead of the "Used For:" term. In the example above, the PsycFirst thesaurus uses Vocational Rehabilitation in place of Rehabilitation (Vocational)

To see the thesaurus tree for vocational rehabilitation, the patron clicks its hot link. WebZ conducts a search against the thesaurus database using its Main Terms index to locate this term (step 7 in process flow link in second window).

Thesaurus Tree (thestree.html)

After WebZ retrieves a record for the term from the thesaurus database, it displays it for the user in a thesaurus tree display, which shows a term with respect to other terms in the thesaurus (step 8 in process flow link in second window).

The Thesaurus Tree screen is thestree.html. The graphic shown here includes annotation to highlight the parts of this screen. Blue arrows indicate items that the patron can use to take actions on this screen.

The top of the screen includes a button to submit a database search using checked terms from the thesaurus tree Go button. The navigational buttons in the header include: Scope Note button to allow the patron to jump to the scope note without scrolling (some thesaurus tree displays may be long enough to require scroll bars), Term Finder button to return to the term list, and List of Terms buttons to return to the Term Finder screen.

Thesaurus - rehabilitation - PsycFirst

In this scenario, vocational rehabilitation is the main term. Vocational rehabilitation is part of a broader category, psychosocial rehabilitation. Specialized areas of vocational rehabilitation appear in the Narrower Terms list. The Related Terms list shows terms associated with vocational rehabilitation, although they are not part of the thesaurus tree for vocational rehabilitation. The scope note at the bottom of the screen clarifies or defines the main term.

At this point, the patron can:

  • Use the navigational buttons at the top of the screen to return to the list of terms or the Term Finder screen.
  • Click the [Expand] hot link beside one of the items in the Broader Terms, Narrower Terms, or Related Terms list to see a thesaurus tree for that term.
  • Use one or more of the terms in the thesaurus tree to search the target database (PsycFirst).

To use term(s) on the thesaurus tree to search PsycFirst, the patron clicks the check box beside each desired term and then clicks Go button. For multiple terms, the default is to connect each term with an "or". The patron can connect terms with "and" selecting this option from the drop-down list at the top of the screen. The index used to search the database is configurable in the database's configuration file and is set to be the DescriptorHeadings index in <WebZ_root>/ini/dbs/Psyc.ini.

In this example, the patron searches for Supported Employment in PsycFirst (step 9 in process flow link in second window) by clicking its check box and then clicking Go button at the top of the screen.

Search Results (brief.html and full.html)

This screen is the brief results display (brief.html) from the search for "supported employment" (step 10 in process flow link in second window). It is the brief.html screen used in the OBI to display records in brief form.

brief results - supported employment - PsycFirst

The patron clicks the hot link for Record 2. "A guide to successful employment…" to see its full record display.

full record - supported employment - PsycFirst

Displaying a Thesaurus Tree from the Full Record Screen (thestree.html)

The patron clicks the tree icon (thesaurus tree icon) beside Employment Status (step 11 in process flow link in second window). WebZ uses thestree.html again to display a thesaurus tree with employment status as the thesaurus tree's main term (step 12 in process flow link in second window).

Thesaurus - employment status - PsycFirst

From this tree display, the patron can display a thesaurus tree for any of the terms shown, use the terms shown in a search of PsycFirst, or return to the Term Finder screen. Because the patron clicked a tree link on a full record screen to display this thesaurus tree, the screen does not contain the List of Terms buttons button. When the patron enters a thesaurus tree from the full record screen, WebZ does not generate a term list for the Main Term shown in the thesaurus tree (in this scenario, Employment Status).

 

Scenario 2: Database has thesaurus database and the search term exists in the thesaurus

This scenario shows a term finder search using PsycFirst where the patron's term does not exist in PsycFirst's thesaurus database.

To see a process flow diagram for this scenario, click here link in second window. The process flow diagram opens in a second browser window, as do the links to a more detailed description of the steps in the process flow.

Term Finder Search (termfindersearch.html)

From the Term Finder screen, the patron enters the term user interface and clicks Go button on the Term Finder screen (steps 1-2 on process flow link in second window).

Term Finder - user interface - PsycFirst

WebZ determines that PsycFirst has a thesaurus database (step 3 on process flow link in second window), and searches the thesaurus database for user interface (step 4 on process flow link in second window). When it cannot find user interface in the thesaurus (step 5 in process flow link in second window), it searches for user interface in PsycFirst (step 6 in process flow link in second window) and creates a term list based on the results of this search. The index used to retrieve records and the number of records to retrieve from the database to build a term list is configurable (see the [TermFinder] section of the database configuration file for PsycInfo). In the OBI, version 1, PsycFirst is configured to use the PsycFirst's Keywords index and to obtain the first 15 records that satisfy the search to generate a term list.

Term List (termlist.html)

WebZ now displays the term list (step 7 in process flow link in second window). This search yields three possible terms. This list comes from the fields specified in the rule specification for creating term lists in database's formatting configuration file (<WebZ_root>/ini/format/obiv1/FSMarcRTLFormat.ini in the OBI, version 1).

Term List - user interface - PsycFirst

This is the same screen (termlist.html) that WebZ uses to display the list of terms when it comes from PsycFirst's thesaurus database. Each term has a number and a check box to allow patrons to select it and use it in a search against PsycFirst. However, the terms do not have hot links for displaying a thesaurus tree from the thesaurus because WebZ built the list of terms from PsycFirst itself, not its thesaurus database. (To see a term list annotated to highlights the parts of the Term List screen, click here.)

Search Results (brief.html and full.html)

The patron selects Human Machine Systems Design as a search term (step 8 on process flow link in second window) by clicking its check box and then clicking Go button. Here are the search results (brief.html) (step 9 on process flow link in second window).

brief - user interface - PsycFirst

… and the full record screen (full.html) for Record 4:

full record - user interface - PsycFirst

Since PsycFirst has a thesaurus database, each Subject entry on the full record display has a link to its thesaurus tree through its tree icon (). This allows patrons access to relevant terms from the thesaurus even when the original search term (user interface, in this example) does not exist in the thesaurus database.

Displaying a Thesaurus Tree from the Full Record Screen (thestree.html)

The patron clicks the tree icon beside Human Machine Systems Design (step 10 in process flow link in second window). The resulting thesaurus tree for human computer interaction looks like this (step 11 in process flow link in second window). (To see a thesaurus tree annotated to highlights the parts of the Thesaurus Tree screen, click here.)

Thesaurus Tree - Human Machine Systems Design - PsycFirst

As in Scenario 1, the patron clicked a tree link on a full record screen to display this thesaurus tree, so the screen does not contain the List of Terms button button. When the patron enters a thesaurus tree from the full record screen, WebZ does not generate a term list for the Main Term shown in the thesaurus tree (Human Machine Systems Design in this scenario).

 

Scenario 3: Database does not have a thesaurus, but has been configured for vocabulary-assisted searching

This scenario uses vocabulary-assisted searching in the III OPAC database. The III database is not associated with a thesaurus database in the OBI, version 1. It begins with the same search term (user interface) as in Scenario 2.

Term Finder Search (termfindersearch.html)

From the Term Finder screen, the patron enters the term user interface on the Term Finder screen and clicks Go button (steps 1 and 2 on process flow link in second window).

Term Finder - user interface - III

Since this database does not have a thesaurus (step 3 in process flow link in second window), WebZ searches the III OPAC database using its Term Finder search index (configured to be its Keywords index) (step 4 in process flow link in second window) for user interface.

Term List (termlist.html)

Here is the list of terms resulting from this search (step 5 in process flow link in second window). In the OBI, version 1, the III OPAC database is configured to sample the first 15 records to create a term list and to build the term list from various subject fields in these records. After eliminating duplicates, these records yield 27 possible terms.

The term list looks like the list in PsycFirst search for user interface in Scenario 2 – none of the terms in the list include links to a thesaurus tree.

Term List - user interface - III

The patron now searches the III OPAC for references related to user interfaces (step 6 in process flow link in second window) by clicking this term's check box and then clicking Go button at the top of the screen. WebZ uses the III OPAC's SubjectHeadingExact index (as configured in <WebZ_root>/ini/dbs/III.ini) to conduct this search.

Search Results (brief.html and full.html)

Here are the first three records from the brief results display (brief.html) for the search for user interfaces (step 7 in process flow link in second window

brief - user interface - III

… and the full record screen (full.html) for Record 1:

full - user interface - III

Unlike the full record displays in Scenario 1 and Scenario 2, the entries in the Subjects field do not have tree icons (), because the III OPAC is not associated with a thesaurus database.

 

See Also

WebZ and Vocabulary-Assisted Searching
Configuration Files that Support Vocabulary-Assisted Searching
Vocabulary Assisted-Searching Process Flow


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