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What is an AMS eContent Search?

An eContent Search allows searching across all AMS eContent, including AMS and AMS-Distributed journals, or a subset of journals, and available electronic proceedings and collections using one or more criteria. Boolean search operators (And, Or, Not) can be used to combine or exclude search terms. The result of this search is a list of published items matching the search criteria. Abstracts and full articles or volumes can be retrieved from the search list.

The Advanced eContent Search screen consists of :

  • Field Names with pull down menus to change the selection of fields
  • Search boxes to enter search criteria
  • The option to select which publications to include in the search
  • Publication date limiting
  • The option to set the number of results viewed on the search results page
  • Options to set sort order
  • Start Search and Clear Screen buttons

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Constructing an eContent Search

Specify MSC, Title word(s), Author(s)/Editor(s)
Specify MSC, Title words, Authors

In this section, choose a search field from the drop down menu.

Enter search criteria into one or more of the search boxes.

Use the Boolean drop down list between fields to construct more complex queries; entering Boolean search operators (Or, And, Not) within a single input field has no effect

 
Specify Publications to Search 
 
Specify journals to search

Use this section to select specific publications to search. By default, users will search on all eContent.

 
Limit Results by Publication Date
Limit by publication date

This section of the search screen allows you to limit your search by the search item's month and year of publication.

 
Format Results 

Format search results

Here you have the opportunity to control the way your search results are displayed.

View from 10 to 50 results on the headlines page

Select the sort order that works best for you

Default values on the search screen:

  • Search fields: The "Specify MSC, Title word(s), Author(s)/Editor(s)" section of the search screen is initially set to values derived from analysis of user search trends over the past two years. These values can be set to any of 9 different search fields.
  • Selected publications: The default is a search across all eContent.
    • Users can accept this value or select from the other options in this section. This region includes the ability to search on a specific publication.
  • Search results format: The search results format provides bibliographic information that allows users to more fully view article or volume information before moving to the abstract or article.
  • Results per page: Results will be returned in sets of 30 or fewer titles per screen.
    • Users have the ability to change the results set to display from 10 through 50 results.
  • Navigation of search results: To move to the next screen of results, use the Navigation barnavigation icons at the top and bottom of the page: 

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Entering Search Criteria

  • Enter search criteria in the appropriate blank box beside the field name.
  • The wildcard character is the asterisk (*).
  • Adjacency of search criteria is assumed within a field only when text is included within quotations. For instance, "Vector Bundles" will return the term vector bundles while Vector Bundles (sans quotes) will broaden the search to provide Vector OR Bundles.
  • Boolean search operators (Or, And, Not) can be changed between fields with the pull down menus.
  • eContent searching is not case-sensitive.

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Available Search Fields

There are four Field Name boxes on the search screen and a total of 9 fields that can be searched. The Anywhere field can be used to conduct a search of all fields simultaneously. Search will retrieve whatever field is displayed in the Field Name box when the search is executed. The Field Name boxes can be changed to one of the fields not displayed by holding down the mouse and selecting a field from the pull down menu.

List of Available Search Fields (bold field name indicates default field):

Field Name

    What it searches

Author/Editor

    Author or Editor of article or volume, Author of a book review, Author or Editor of a book being reviewed in a journal

Article/Volume Title

    Title of article or volume

MSC

    Primary or secondary Mathematics Subject Classification

MSC year

    MSC version used to classify the document

Keyword

    Keywords provided by the document's author

Abstract Text

    Any text in the body of the abstract

Document Text

    Any text in the body of the document, excluding the abstract and references

References

    Any text that appears in the document's bibliography

Anywhere

    Any field listed in this set of variables

See AMS eContent Field Help for assistance with valid entries.

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Changing Search Field Names

To change a field name:

  • Move the cursor to the field name box. Click and hold the mouse button. Scroll to the desired field name and release.
  • More than one field name box can be set to the same field name.

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Boolean Search Operators

Boolean operators used in eContents Search are:

  • AND 
  • OR 
  • NOT

Used within a field box: Adjacency of search criteria is assumed within a field only when text is included within quotations. For instance, "Vector Bundles" will return the term vector bundles while Vector Bundles (sans quotes) will broaden the search to provide Vector OR Bundles; entering Boolean search operators (Or, And, Not) within a single input field has no effect.

Used between field boxes:  From the pull down menus between field boxes, select the appropriate operator.

Examples: 1) Two field boxes can be set to Author/Editor with the Boolean search operator between them set to and (the default) from the pull down menu.
2) Another example is a search in a journal article's title field and abstract text field for the same term:

Title: "number theory"

OR

Abstract Text: "number theory"

This search will retrieve items with the phrase "number theory" in either the title OR the abstract text of the citation.

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Searching for Mathematics (TeX)

The eContent search criteria may include TeX coding for accented characters. TeX coding should be included in names and mathematical symbols where appropriate.

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Setting Documents Per Page

eContent searches are set by default to display 30 titles per page in reverse chronological publication date. The next (or previous) set of 30 titles can be displayed using the navigation icons (see the Default values section of this document).

  • The number of titles displayed at one time can be reset by the user. This is done from the AMS eContent Search screen using the "results per page" option. To change the setting, use the drop down menu and choose the desired number.

Options include:

  • 10 titles per page
  • 20 titles per page
  • 30 titles per page — default
  • 40 titles per page
  • 50 titles per page
  • Options can be set for each search.
    The maximum number of results returned for any search is 50

The current Sort setting is indicated by a dark circle. The setting may be changed by clicking on another option in the sort list.

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Returning to AMS eContent Search

To return to the eContent Search screen and retain the criteria entered, use the browser's Back button. The Back button will page back one screen at a time.