After performing a basic search and reaching the search results page, you can refine your results using a variety of options to find exactly what you're looking for. These search refinements take the place of the stand-alone Advanced Search function in the Infobase Platform.
Each of these options will be reflected in the "Share" URL available at the top right of the page, so you can create permalinks to a particular set of search results. For more about permalinking in the platform, see Linking with Your Infobase Account ID.
1. Sorting Options:
This controls the order in which your results will be listed. "Relevance" is the default, based on keyword frequency in the title, description, and transcript, as well as other search algorithm factors.
- Relevance: Displays the most relevant results first.
- A-Z / Z-A: Sort results alphabetically by title in ascending (A-Z) or descending (Z-A) order.
- Newest to Oldest / Oldest to Newest: Arrange results by publication date, starting from the newest or oldest.
2. Advanced Filters:
Multiple selections can be made for each filter. Below are a range of filters that may be found across the various Infobase products, although filters may change based on the applicable resource. You must click "Update Results" when finished with your selections.
- Attributes: Narrow results to a certain attribute such as primary source.
- Content Type: Filter between options such as images, definitions, and more.
- Collections: Choose to view content within a specific content collection.
- Copyright Dates: Limit results based on their copyright date. This is based on year, so any 2024 video will show up in 2025 when using a one-year search filter, regardless of whether it was published in January 2024 or December 2024.
- Formats: Choose to filter between applicable options which may include: full video, segment, series, audiobook, article, book, images, and more.
- Grade Level: Specify by grade level or academic.
- Languages: Search for resources in a specific language.
- Length: Choose between long, medium, or short length.
- Publishers/Producers: Focus on materials from particular publishers/producers.
- Subjects: Narrow your search by selecting specific subject areas or subsets.
3. Boolean Search:
This function allows you to add terms to your search or filter out results that contain certain terms, in the same way a traditional advanced search interface does.
- AND: The AND function shows items that match all of the terms entered. For example, if you search for "gold rush" and then add "California" as an AND keyword, all results should contain both the terms "gold rush" and "California." This will have fewer results than your initial search.
- OR: Finds results containing any of the terms entered; results with both terms will be given a preference. This will have more results than your initial search.
- NOT: Excludes certain terms from your search results. For example, searching "gold rush" and then adding NOT California should exclude any items with California in the description. This will have fewer results than your initial search.
It is possible to create an advanced search with zero results. If this is the case, try removing different filters with the x next to each filter. The search will re-run with each removal. Or, select "Clear All Filters" to return to the original search results page.