Searching in CABI Digital Library
The new CABI Digital Library platform contains CAB Abstracts, Global Health, Database Subsets, VetMed Resource, and all other CABI Collections.
In the CABI Digital Library, you can start your search from the homepage or from a product page.
Search from the Homepage – This will search across the whole of the CABI Digital Library and give you the broadest range of results relevant to your keywords.
Search from the Browse products page or the Menu page, selecting a specific product – This will search within a specific product and return results only from that collection.
To determine whether you are searching across the full site or within a specific product, look at the search bar to see what is being searched.
Basic Searching
Basic searching
You can create your search using a variety of simple search techniques such as simple phrases or using Boolean logic (eg. AND or NOT operators). Please note, when you enter two or more words in the search box with no Boolean operator, the search will be treated as if it includes the Boolean operator AND. For example, the search feline infectious peritonitis is treated as feline AND infectious AND peritonitis. If you wish to search the terms as a phrase, enter the terms in quotation marks (eg. "feline infectious peritonitis"). Phrase searching will yield fewer but more precise results.
Search terms are not case sensitive, and punctuation marks, such as hyphens, commas, and semicolons, are ignored.
Enter your search terms into the search bar and click on ‘Search’ to the right of the bar.
You will then see a page showing your search results. The number of search results can be seen at the top of list. Also at the top of the results list is an option for how many results per page as well as an option to sort the results by Relevance, Date, or Alphabetically.
Results can be refined using the various filters located at the left side of the page. Once a filter is selected, "Applied Filters" will appear at the top left and the filter you selected will display underneath. Filters must be cleared to begin a new search.
If you are logged in to your account, you can save your searches, view your saved records, set up alerts, and much more.
Advanced Searching
Advanced searching
To search within specific fields and to combine field searches, click on ‘Advanced Search’ which is located to the bottom right of the search bar.
You will then see an advanced search box where you can create your search. Choose the search field by clicking the dropdown menu to the right of the search box in which you have entered the search terms. To combine different search fields, use the Boolean connector drop down menu to the left of the search boxes.
You can search across a number of fields including:
- Title
- Author
- Keywords
- Abstract
- Affiliation
To add in extra search terms, click on the orange ‘plus’ icon to the right of the field box. Below the search boxes are options to customize the date range for the results as well as to specify the CABI product to search within or the Publication Type of record.
Below is an example of a search based on cats or dogs and welfare.
Clicking the 'search' button will bring you to a page of your search results. The number of search results can be seen at the top of list. You can also choose the number of results per page as well as sort options.
Results can be refined using the various filters located at the left side of the page. Once a filter is selected, "Applied Filters" will appear at the top left and the filter you selected will display underneath. Filters must be cleared to begin a new search.
If logged in to your account, you can save your searches, view your saved records, set up alerts, and much more.
Search Options
CAB Direct searching allows the use of the Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT.
Boolean operator AND
Use AND to include two or more search terms; results of these Boolean searches will include all the search terms.
Example: the search patellar luxation AND dogs will yield article results that contain both the phrase patellar luxation and the term dogs.
Boolean operator OR
Use OR to find results that include one or the other search term, as well as both search terms.
Example: the search inguinal hernia OR perineal hernia will yield article results that contain the terms inguinal hernia or the terms perineal hernia, as well as articles that contain all the terms.
Boolean operator NOT
Use NOT to exclude a term from your search results.
Example: Example: the search umbilical hernia NOT dogs will yield article results with the terms umbilical hernia that do not contain the term dogs.
For more information, see the CAB Direct Boolean Operators page.
Phrase searching
By placing quotation marks around a phrase, your search results will be limited to those results that include the exact phrase specified in the quotations. Including quotations in a phrase search will often yield fewer, but more precise results.
Example: To find articles that include the specific phrase caprine arthritis encephalitis, use the search "caprine arthritis encephalitis". Without quotations, the search yields 790 results; with quotations, the search yields 724 results.
NOTE: Truncation in CABI Digital Library does not work within quotes.
Parentheses
Use parentheses to compound Boolean searches.
Example: the search (inguinal hernia OR perineal hernia) AND dogs yields article results with the terms inguinal hernia and/or perineal hernia that also include the term dogs.
For more information, see the CAB Direct Search Rules page.
Truncation / Asterisk *
Use an asterisk symbol (*) to represent any group of characters.
Example: the search microb* yields results for the terms microbe, microbial, microbiota, microbiome, microbiologists, microbiology, etc.
NOTE: Truncation in CABI Digital Library does not work within quotes.
Question mark ?
Use a question mark symbol (?) to represent a single character.
Example: the search organi?ation yields results for the terms organization and organisation.
For more information, see the CAB Direct Search Rules page.