This course provides instructions on how to use Connexion client to perform searches for bibliographic records in the WorldCat database. After completing this class, you will be able to conduct searches for bibliographic records in WorldCat and evaluate whether a given record matches the item to be cataloged.
Note: This learner guide is designed to accompany the Connexion client 2: Bibliographic searching course.
Options available on the menu bar:
or use selected default keystroke shortcut in Connexion client.
By default, Connexion client displays search results as follows:
If there is a particular type of List you prefer, you can set it as the default list for all of your WorldCat searches in Connexion Client.
Otherwise, the default results list is determined by the number of records in your search result (system default list).
When searching the WorldCat database, consider:
Field | Description | Contains |
---|---|---|
245 | Title Statement |
‡a Title Proper ‡b Remainder of Title ‡c Statement of Responsibility |
250 | Edition Statement | ‡a Edition Statement |
260 or 264 | Publication, Production, Distribution, etc. |
‡a Place of Publication ‡b Publisher ‡c Date of Publication |
300 |
Physical Description |
‡a Extent ‡b Other Physical Details ‡c Dimensions |
040 | Cataloging source |
‡b Language of cataloging |
The index label, bn: is optional
ISSN (International Standard Serial Number)
Use index label in:
OCLC Number
Use * or # or index label no:
Retain search
Customize lists button
Plus/Minus buttons
Language of Cataloging Limiter
See Searching WorldCat Indexes for additional indexes.
Index | keyword (:) |
---|---|
Name (author) | au: |
Corporate/Conference Name | cn: |
Title | ti: |
Personal Name | pn: |
Series | se: |
Subject | su: |
Notes | nt: |
Use qualifiers for efficient searching and limit the results retrieved from WorldCat
Use phrase searches to do more precise searches for search words that are short or consists of common words
Index ends with =
Commonly used phrase (=) indexes
Index | phrase (=) |
---|---|
Name (author) | au= |
Corporate/Conference Name | cn= |
Title | ti= |
Personal Name | pn= |
Series | se= |
Subject | su= |
Use whole phrase searches to look at multiple subfields (the entire field)
If you have a question about whether the record you are looking at is the best record for your item or not, what is the source to consult?
Explain the difference between keyword searches and phrase searches.
Explain the difference between language (la:) and language of cataloging description (ll:).
List three MARC fields that are searched when you perform a Name Phrase Search.
Which of the following special characters can you search on in WorldCat? @, 3, ?, ‡, &
Use the simulated title page information below to search for the below record using as many different search strategies as you can (assume this is a print book). You are looking for records cataloged in English.
7. Find records for an English translation of the Proust novel À la recherche du temps perdu, published by Vintage Books in 1982, and cataloged in English.
8. Perform a phrase search to find works by Thomas F. Gilbert.
Bibliographic Formats and Standards, Chapter 4
Keyword searches look for the words you enter anywhere in the indexed field or fields. Phrase searches look for exactly what you type, in order, left to right, from the beginning of the subfield. With phrase searches, you don’t leave out any words (there are no stopwords), and you must enter all the words in the in the indexed subfield, OR use truncation (the asterisk * symbol).
Language (la:) is the language of the resource, for example, the language a book is written in, or the language spoken in a DVD, or the language sung in a sound recording. Language of cataloging description (ll:) is the language of the bibliographic record, for example, the language of the physical description and notes. Bibliographic records in will have an 040 subfield ‡b with a code for the language.
As documented in Searching WorldCat Indexes, the following MARC fields are searched when doing a Name Phrase (au=) search in WorldCat: 100, 110, 111, 700, 710, 711, 720.
Only the Ampersand (&) and Latin numeral three (3) are searchable. The other symbols should be omitted with a space left in their place (see Searching WorldCat Indexes > Get started > Searching WorldCat indexes guidelines… > Special Characters in Latin script searches).
There are multiple possible answers for this item. If you find OCLC #61253902, you have found the right record. Possible search options:
* In Keyword/Numeric Search area:
* In Command Line Search area:
ti:economics attention pn:richard lanham mt:bks yr:2006
* Various combinations of word and phrase searches, including title, author, publisher, format, date, etc. will also work. Experiment and find the strategies that work for you.
You can select Apply Language of Cataloging Limiter and choose English, and enter this search in the Keyword/Numeric Search area:
(The Language of Cataloging Limiter also applies to any searches you do in the Command Line Search or Quick Search box).
* You can also enter this search on the Command Line Search area:
ti:recherche temps perdu au:proust pb:vintage la:eng yr:1982
On the Command Line Search area, enter the search as:
pn=gilbert, thomas f OR
au=gilbert, thomas f
* In the Keyword/Numeric Search area, enter the search as:
OR
We look forward to seeing you in the next class!