How to Search the Databases

Three databases (Taxon, Locality, and Publication) can be searched. For example, one can search the Publication Database by first author, publication number, publication year, or any word in the title. A list of fields that may be searched is listed under each database heading.

More selective searches can be done by using more than one term.

To search for more than one term, type the first term followed by a space, then the second term. For example, the search terms "San" "Francisco" will find all entries that contain either "San" or "Francisco."

To search a group of words, place quotation marks around the group of words. For example, the search term "San Francisco" will find all "San Francisco" entries but not other entries like "San Luis Obispo."

To search for two terms at the same time, type the first term followed by the word "and" followed by the second term. For example, the search term "Hanna and 1932" will find all entries that contain both "Hanna" and "1932."

The Taxon, Locality, and Publication databases are not linked; therefore, complex searches involving several tables are not possible at the present time. For example, one can search the Locality Database for entries containing the term "Nevada" and one can search the Taxon Database for entries containing "Gomphonema," but currently there is no way to find Gomphonema from Nevada using only one search. The information from one database, however, can be used to search another database. For example, if one wanted to know from what locality a specimen of Gomphonema was collected, one could note the accession number from the Taxon Database and then search the Locality Database to find the locality information.

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Send comments to efourtanier@calacademy.org or jdemouthe@calacademy.org