The engine is used to search HTML and/or PDF documentary resources on the website (publications, databases, indicators) and not its fixed standard pages ('Contact us', 'Links', 'About Eurydice', etc.).
Documents are classified by type on the website as a whole, as well as on the search engine:
- Digests
- Comparative studies
- Eurybase
- Other country descriptions
- Indicators
- National terms.
Notes:
1.
Country descriptions have been divided into two categories, namely 'Eurybase' and 'other country descriptions', to make it easier to consult the Eurybase database.
2.
The Key Data reports (under 'Indicators') may appear in two different forms in search results: as the publication (in its entirety, or a chapter or section of it), and as separate indicators ('Figures').
What indexing methods does the search engine use?
Documents are indexed in the three website browsing languages (English, French and German) in HTML and/or PDF. The search engine uses two further indexing methods to improve the relevance of its results:
• Manual indexing via the TESE thesaurus
Each Eurydice document is indexed. The EEU allocates keywords (or descriptors) to different levels of the document. These keywords from the multilingualTESE – Thesaurus for Education Systems in Europecorrespond to the content of the information.
• Full text indexing (by words in the text)
Here, indexing is automatic. Each word in a document is automatically added to a search engine query index. This form of indexing is used by online engines like Google.
What languages are available on the search engine?
• Search engine queries
Default queries using the Eurydice search engine may involve simple or advanced searches in the three website browsing languages (German, English and French) for. All website documents have been indexed in these three languages.
For the most comprehensive searches (whether simple, advanced, in combined modes or by words in the text), use English as some documents are available only in this language.
Only the 'Via the TESE thesaurus' advanced search mode can be used to search by thesaurus keywords (descriptors) in one of the many language versions of the thesaurus.
• Results displayed
Each search result always gives the different browsing and translated language versions available, in HTML and/or PDF.
How do simple searches work?
The simple search mode in the top left-hand window on all website pages may be used to carry out fast efficient searches at any time.
The simple search mode combines a search both on TESE thesaurus keywords and on words in the text.
• Instructions
Your search may be limited to a particular type of document. The default search covers all documents.
One or several words may be entered directly in the window provided. The search engine ignores accents and is not case sensitive.
The default search is for documents containing all words entered (the default operator is 'AND').
For the most comprehensive searches, use English as some documents are available only in this language.
The 'Search' button is used to run the search.
The 'Advanced search (Thesaurus)' link is for accessing the advanced search interface.
The button is used to display the Search Help page.
• Expert use of the simple search option
Advanced searches are recommended for expert use of the search engine. However, experienced users may rely on the following advanced facilities for more specialised searches:
AND – OR – EXCEPT Operators
To run a search combining several words in different ways
-AND: to search documents corresponding to all words entered Example: teaching AND language
-» any document dealing with both topics
-OR: to search documents containing one or several words entered Example: teaching OR language
-» all documents containing either ‘teaching', or 'language', or both
-NOT: to search documents without the word entered Example: teaching NOT language
-» documents containing 'teaching' but not 'language'
Inverted commas
For identifying precise expressions (character string, expression, etc.) Example: search on the ‘foreign language ’ character string
Truncation *
For running a search on a truncated word. The asterisk * can be used for right- or left-truncation Example: 'educat*'
-» a search on all words beginning with 'educat' (education, educate, educator, etc.)
Brackets
For complex queries at several levels Example: (teaching AND language) NOT German
How do advanced searches work?
The advanced search page may be accessed via:
- the 'Advanced search link (Thesaurus)' in the simple search window on the top left-hand side of all website pages
- the 'Search' option on the toolbar on all website pages
The advanced search is for refining searches by means of sort criteria (document type, geographical coverage, educational level, year of publication) and includes 3 additional search modes:
- combined search (combinatory search on TESE keywords TESE + full text)
- search via the TESE thesaurus (search on TESE keywords alone)
- search by words in the text (full text search alone)
Users may choose sort criteria and one of the three search modes available.
The 'Search' button is used to run the search and 'New search' restarts it.
The button displays the Search Help page.
• Advanced search sort criteria (optional)
Type of document(s)
For limiting the search to one or several types of document
The default operator is OR
Geographical coverage
For limiting the search to one or several Eurydice Network countries (and/or regions in the case of the United Kingdom and Belgium)
The default operator is OR
Educational level
For limiting the search to one or several educational levels, displayed as a hierarchical list
The default operator is OR
Year of publication
For limiting the search:
- to a specific year of publication; the same year should be selected in the two drop-down menus
- to a range of years (Example: 2000-2002)
The default operator is OR
The default search covers all documents.
• Search modes
The default selection is for a combined search.
1. Combined search
One or several words may be entered directly in the window provided.
The search engine ignores accents and is not case sensitive.
For the most comprehensive searches, use English as some documents are available only in this language.
Options and facilities available:
Options
All words: to search documents corresponding to all words entered, with AND as operator Example: teaching AND language
-» any document dealing with both topics
At least one of the words: to search documents containing one or several of the words entered, with OR as operator Example: teaching OR language
-» all documents containing either ‘teaching', or 'language', or both
Exact expression: For entering precise expressions (character string, expression, etc.) Example: search on the ‘foreign language’ character string
Truncation *
For running a search on a truncated word. The asterisk * can be used for right- or left-truncation Example: 'educat*'
-»a search of all words beginning with 'educat' (education, educate, educator, etc.)
Expert mode
For running complex queries at several levels in a guided approach (replacement of brackets)
The arrow is used to insert an extra line and combine the AND and OR operators
The cross is used to delete lines
2. Searches via the TESE thesaurus
To select one or several TESE keywords (descriptors):
1. Click on the icon
2. The 'Select one or several TESE keywords' window is displayed
The TESE keywords (descriptors) are displayed by:
- (rotated) alphabetical list: browsing is possible with the letter bar
- topic (TESE micro-thesaurus): click on the + symbol for the drop-down hierarchies.
3. Select the one or more keywords in one of the two lists and click on the 'Select' button. The keywords are shown on the right of the screen. They may be deleted with the 'Delete' button.
4. Confirm the selection.
Options and facilities available:
TESE language
The TESE thesaurus display language may be chosen from among the languages available
Options
All keywords: to search documents corresponding to all words entered, with AND as operator Example: language teaching AND teacher -» any document dealing with both topics
At least one of the keywords: to search documents containing one or several of the words entered, with OR as operator Example: language teaching OR teacher -» all documents containing either ‘language teaching', or ‘teacher’, or both
Expert mode
For running complex queries at several levels in a guided approach (replacement of brackets)
The arrowis used to insert an extra line and combine the AND, OR and NOT operators
The cross is used to delete lines
Each document has been indexed by hand using the TESE thesaurus for effective identification of the informative content of texts, whether in full publications, chapters or sections.
Results are comprehensive in any chosen language version of the thesaurus.
3. Searching by words in the text
One or several words may be entered directly in the window provided.
The search engine ignores accents and is not case sensitive.
For the most comprehensive searches, use English as some documents are available only in this language.
Options and facilities available:
Options
All words: to search documents corresponding to all words entered, with AND as operator Example: teaching AND language -» any document dealing with both topics
At least one of the words: to search documents containing one or several of the words entered, with OR as operator Example: teaching OR language -» all documents containing either ‘teaching', or 'language', or both
Exact expression: For entering precise expressions (character string, expression, etc.) Example: search on the ‘foreign language’ character string
In the whole text:for searching all words in the document; this is the default option
In the headings only: for searching just the headings in the document
Truncation *
For running a search on a truncated word. The asterisk * can be used for right- or left-truncation Example: 'educat*' -» a search of all words beginning with 'educat' (education, educate, educator, etc.)
Expert mode
For running complex queries at several levels in a guided approach (replacement of brackets)
The arrow
is used to insert an extra line and combine the AND and OR operators
The cross is used to delete lines
How are the results of a search displayed?
When you have run your search, a results page is displayed on the screen.
The number of results from the search is displayed, together with a summary of the search.
The number of results per page may be limited.
You can browse within the results page. The results page can be printed.
The sorting of results can be modified. The default classification of results is by relevance; each result gets a score displayed on the screen. However, other forms of sorting are possible:
• by publication date:documents are shown by publication date, from the most recent to the earliest
• by language:only results available in the selected language are displayed.
Messages may be displayed indicating:
• that the search has yielded no result; the engine then provides a set of 'close' words as possible starting points for a new search • that the word entered is a TESE keyword • that the word entered refers back to a TESE keyword • the words searched, in the case of a 'truncated search' (with the asterisk *).
The results are displayed in a list referring to either a full HTML and/or PDF document, or part of one (a chapter or section). The list of language versions available is specified in each result.
Buttons are used to run a new search, and to access the advanced search interface. In an advanced search, the 'Refine' button is used to return to the search parameter page so that the query can be modified.
The
button is used to display the Search Help page.
How is the document relevance score obtained?
• Simple and combined search High score for TESE keywords and then for the whole text, with due regard for the position and frequency of the words in a document. The publication date is also taken into account.
• Search via the TESE Classification with respect to the position of keywords in the document. The publication date is also taken into account.
• Search by words in the text Classification with respect to the position and frequency of keywords in a document. The publication date is also taken into account.
button is used to display the Search Help page.
is used to insert an extra line and combine the AND and OR operators
is used to delete lines
