General Search Tips	Using Brouse and Other Features
Dictionary and Thesaurus Tips	Using Learning Materials

 

Searching Encyclopæædia Britannica Online School Edition can lead you to a wealth of information. When you search for a keyword or phrase, we scour the entire text of the encyclopedias as well as magazine articles, videos, and thousands of Web site reviews written by our world-class editors.

To search all content:

1. Type a word or phrase in the search box on the Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition home page or at the top of search results.
   
   
2. Click Go to begin the search.
   
   
3. Your search results will display in a four-column format. If you have trouble finding what you want, read the Tips for Better Results below.

To search content for a certain level:

1. Select Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton's by Britannica, or Britannica Elementary from the Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition home page. You can also choose a library by clicking one of the buttons at the bottom of every page.
   
   
2. Type a word or phrase in the search box on the library home page or at the top of library search results and article pages.
   
   
3. Click Go to begin the search.
   
   
4. Your search results will display in a two-column format. If you have trouble finding what you want, read the Tips for Better Results below.

To easily switch your search to another library:

1. Scroll to the bottom of any search results or article page.
   
   
2. Type a word or phrase in the Search Again box.
   
   
3. Select the library you would like to search from the drop-down menu.
   
   
4. Click Go to begin the search.
   
   
5. Your search results will display in a two-column format and include content from the library you chose. If you have trouble finding what you want, read the Tips for Better Results below.

Tips for Better Results

Use the following tips to improve your searches and get better results.

Order of Search Results Using Quotation Marks Nicknames or Alternate Titles Uppercase or Lowercase?

Singular or plural? American or British Spelling? Abbreviations and Acronyms Punctuation Advanced Searches: Boolean Operators

 

 

 

 

Order of Search Results

Search results are ranked to ensure that the closest match to the word or phrase you searched appears at or near the top of the list. Encyclopedia articles with all your search terms in the title appear first, followed by articles with all the terms in the text of the article. Next are listed articles with any of your search terms in the title, followed by those with any of the terms in the text of the article.

For the best results, enter specific terms or multiple words in the search box. You will find better results for Abraham Lincoln if you enter his full name than if you search for Lincoln.

Using Quotation Marks

Use quotation marks around words or phrases if you want them to appear word for word in your search results. For example, if you are interested in the American Civil War and you do not want to see results for other civil wars, type "American Civil War" in the Search Box.

Nicknames or Alternate Titles

For Encyclopædia Britannica, with its longer and more complex articles, the search engine also identifies matches to nicknames and alternate titles. You can search on JFK to find articles on John F. Kennedy. For Compton's by Britannica and Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia, you will get better results by searching on a full name.

Uppercase or Lowercase?

Type your search words in uppercase or lowercase--it doesn't matter. Changing the case of the letters in your query will not affect search results in any way. For example, the word AIDS gives you the same results as the word aids.

Singular or Plural?

You can use either singular or plural words in encyclopedia searches. However, use singular words to search the dictionary/thesaurus.

American or British Spelling?

Because Encyclopædia Britannica is of British origin, many of the articles use British spellings. You can enter either spelling of your search term, for example theater or theatre, and find the same results.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Using abbreviations or acronyms in your query can make a difference in your search results. If you want to use an abbreviation in your search, or to understand an abbreviation in an article, check the abbreviatioan list in the help section of the site.

Punctuation and Special Characters

Quotation Marks
Use quotation marks around words or phrases if you want them to appear word for word in your search results. See Using Quotation Marks.

Parentheses
Use parentheses in Boolean operator formulas to separate and group words or phrases. See Advanced Search: Boolean Operators.

Hyphens
Use hyphens or spaces when searching for hyphenated words and names. Both will return the same results.

Apostrophes
Use apostrophes in your search term, except when the apostrophe indicates possession. For example, if you looking for the article on the Chinese deity, you will find better results if you search for T'ien rather than T ien. You don't need to use 's in your search term for possessives. A search for Steno's law or Stenos law will return the same results.

Special Characters
Many Encyclopædia Britannica articles use diacritical marks and special characters that are difficult to enter in a search term. You can search without these characters to still find the matching results. For example, a search on francois will return articles that match françois.

Advanced Search: Boolean Operators

Boolean operators are little words that can make a big difference in your search results. You can create rules for a search to follow using these three Boolean operators:

AND: Use the AND operator (it must be in all capital letters) or + to specify that you want all of your search words to appear in the results. German AND shepherd

OR: Use the OR operator (it must be in all capital letters) to receive search results that contain any one or all of the words in your multiple word query. Yugoslavia OR Bosnia

NOT: Use the NOT operator (it must be in all capital letters) or - to exclude words from your search results. Washington NOT George

You can use these three Boolean operators in any combination by breaking your query into a formula using parentheses.

EXAMPLE: cherokee AND (language or alphabet) NOT sequoyah
This search finds results about the Cherokee language or alphabet, but not Sequoyah.

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Dictionary and Thesaurus Tip

If you're using the Encyclopædia Britannica library, you will have access to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus. If you are using the Compton's by Britannica or Britannica Elementary library, you will have access to Merriam-Webster's Student Dictionary and Thesaurus.

To look up words:

• Double-click a word in an encyclopedia or magazine article
  -OR-
  Return to the library home page, enter a word or words in the search box, select the dictionary and thesaurus button, and click Go.
  
• The dictionary results appear, and you see one or more entries. If several close matches are found, choose one from the list and click Go. If no entries were found, read the tips below.

To find alternate words in the Thesaurus:

1. Look up a word in the Dictionary. Click the Thesaurus button to switch to the thesaurus entry for the word.
2. If several close matches are found, choose one from the list and click Go. If no entries were found, read the tips below.
NOTE: After you've switched from the dictionary to the thesaurus, you can look up synonyms and antonyms for other words. Simply enter a word in the thesaurus search box and click Go.

Search for an Entry

The dictionary and thesaurus search only for entry words, not the other text in the definitions. Use a keyword or phrase that you would expect to find in a print dictionary or thesaurus. This search always tries to find an exact match to your search words.

Wildcards for Spelling

If you don't know how to spell a word, type a fragment followed by the asterisk(*). For example, type tract* to find the spelling for "tractable." Type *ism for a list of all words ending with those letters.

Uppercase or Lowercase?

The dictionary and thesaurus usually ignore case. Use either upper- or lowercase typing.

Singular or plural?

Dictionary and thesaurus entries are usually singular. If you type in the plural form of a word, for example dogs, the search will find "dog." To ensure the best results, it is preferable to type a singular word.

Punctuation

Use hyphens for hyphenated words (all-star). Other punctuation marks are not valid in a dictionary or thesaurus search.

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Using Brouse and Other Features

When you pick up a book and flip through the pages, you are browsing. Browsing is useful when you don't know exactly what you are looking for or when you are looking for information on a broad topic. It is also a fun way to learn new and unexpected things.

To begin browsing, select one of the encyclopedia libraries. Each library gives you several ways to browse its contents.

Subject Browse

Subject Browse organizes a selection of encyclopedia articles in a topical outline.

1. Click a topic (Arts, Geography, Social Studies, etc...) on the Compton's by Britannica or Britannica Elementary library home page.
   NOTE: For Encyclopædia Britannica, first click Subject Browse.
2. Click on "Subtopics" to see a list of narrower topics and related articles.
3. Click on an underlined topic to open an article.

The subject browse includes only selected encyclopedia articles. If you can't find the information you are seeking, be sure to try searching.

A printed encyclopedia organizes its articles alphabetically. Use A-Z Browse to explore the encyclopedia articles as you would in a book and to see a complete listing of all articles in the encyclopedia.

1. Choose A-Z Browse on the Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton's by Britannica, or Britannica Elementary home page.
2. Click a letter or combination of letters to see a list of articles.
3. Type in the first few letters of a word and click Go if you are looking for a specific article.
4. Browse the list of articles and click on titles to read encyclopedia articles.

When you type in the first few letters of a word, you will see only alphabetic results from the encyclopedia you are browsing. If you would like to alphabetically browse another encyclopedia, switch to a different library by using the buttons at the bottom of any page.

Timelines

Britannica's Interactive Timelines list important events in history and provide links to related articles.

1. Choose "Timelines" from any of the library home pages.
2. Select a subject area from the gray bar at the bottom of the timeline. (Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia includes a single timeline that combines many subjects.)
3. Use the sliding pointer to select a year or click the next and previous arrows to navigate through the timeline entries.
4. Click "Learn more" to view related articles, which open in the main window behind the timeline window.

You can also enter a year in the white box on the lower right and click "Go." The Timeline will move to the year of the nearest entry.

World Atlas

Maps are excellent tools for learning more about the countries and peoples of the world.

1. Click World Atlas from any of the library home pages.
2. Click on the map to zoom in to another map or use the menus at the top to select continents, countries, states and provinces, or oceans.
3. Click the tabs above the map to view other types of maps such as physical maps.
4. Scroll to see profiles and links to other maps and articles.

Be sure to explore the articles related to a map for complete information.

You can browse through a selection of Britannica videos.

Britannica's Spotlights are like Web sites. They cover a variety of topics (Nobel Prizes, Shakespeare, Dinosaurs), providing educational materials and multimedia.

1. Click "The Index" on the Encyclopædia Britannica home page.
2. Select a letter or combination of letters to see a list of topics.
3. Or type in the first few letters of a word and click Go if you are looking for a specific topic.
4. Browse the list of topics and click on one to see its index entry.
5. Use the plus sign (+) to expand a topic.
6. Click underlined words to open articles.

Celebrate Encyclopædia Britannica's long and illustrious history with a collection of articles by some of its most famous authors. Galleries feature some of the maps and illustrations from past editions.

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Using Learning Materials

The Learning Materials include a wide range of activities, exercises, and study guides that make learning fun. All study guides and activities are aligned with curriculum guidelines. The following subject areas are covered:

	Language Arts	Mathematics	Science	Social Studies
Grades K-5	· Reading · Writing	· Functions and Algebra · Geometry · Numbers and Operations · Statistics	· Earth and Space · Life Sciences · Physical Sciences	· U.S. Government · U.S. History · World History
Grades 6-12	· American Literature · English Literature · Literary Genres · Writing	· Algebra · Geometry · Pre-Algebra · Statistics	· Biology · Chemistry · Earth and Space · Physics	· U.S. Government · U.S. History · World History

To utilize the Learning Materials, the following additional software programs are required. These programs are generally included with your browser, or can be downloaded for free from the Internet.

· Adobe Acrobat Reader ™ versions 5.0 or higher
· Macromedia Flash Player ™ versions 5.0 or higher
· Macromedia Shockwave Player ™

To use the Learning Materials:

1. Click the Learning Materials link at the top of any page.
   NOTE: Age-appropriate Learning Materials appear in the different libraries.

   • Encyclopædia Britannica includes Learning Materials for Grades 6-12.
   • Britannica Elementary include Learning Materials for Grades K-5.
   • Compton's by Britannica includes all Learning Materials.
2. Select one of the four subject areas: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies.
3. Find a topic within a subject area. For example, Science includes topics such as Biology and Chemistry.
4. Click a link to open an exercise, interactive lesson, or study guide.
5. Read the instructions for the activity or exercise carefully before beginning.

Types of Learning Materials

Britannica offers many types of Learning Materials to meet different needs.

Interactive Lessons

Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton's by Britannica, Britannica Elementary

Interactive Lessons covering reading, basic math skills, and topics in science make learning more interactive. They can be used to present new information and reinforce lessons taught in the classroom. After viewing a multimedia presentation, students can respond to questions or complete other activities to demonstrate their knowledge.

In addition, the Interactive Lessons include components that can be printed and completed away from the computer. Teachers may want to assign these activities to students as classroom activities or special projects.

Encyclopedia Activities
Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton's by Britannica, Britannica Elementary

By using Encyclopedia Activities, students will learn about history and government as they practice using the encyclopedia as a research tool. The activites are provided as PDFs, which makes them easy to print and distribute to students. Each activity requires students to read one or more articles from Compton's by Britannica or Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia and complete a series of questions, matching exercises, or other activities. An excellent supplement to other classroom materials, students may complete the activities individually or in small groups.

Exercises
Compton's by Britannica, Britannica Elementary

Learning is more enjoyable with interactive exercises for grades K-5 covering language arts, mathematics, and science. The exercises have been carefully developed to coincide with educational objectives, and are best used to reinforce concepts taught in the classroom. Students can work independently to complete the exercises, giving them valuable extra practice in basic skills. Topics include: basic mathematical functions, fractions and decimals, grammar, reading comprehension, and introductory concepts in earth, life, and physical sciences.

Manipulatives
Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton's by Britannica, Britannica Elementary

An innovative way to strengthen students' understanding of mathematics, manipulatives use the power of a computer to illustrate mathematical relationships and applications. These virtual learning environments require active student involvement. Teachers may want to use these to demonstrate different mathematical concepts in the classroom. Student may also work independently with the manipulatives to expand and reinforce their abilities.

Study Guides
Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton's by Britannica

Britannica's study guides are designed to supplement school instruction. The instructional material is intended to strengthen a student's understanding of the major concepts and ideas related to a topic.

The study guides enable revision and practice, and provide an extension of classroom learning. The carefully designed activities test knowledge and understanding of what has been taught in the study guide panels. The additional Web links and resources further enhance and stimulate learning and motivation.

Web Site Activities
Encyclopædia Britannica, Compton's by Britannica, Britannica Elementary

Students will learn to use the Internet as a research tool with these guided Web Site Activities that cover topics in language arts, science, and social studies. They are provided as PDFs, making them easy to print and distribute to students. While every teacher will have his or her own approach to using the activities, it will be helpful for the teacher to introduce the topic, providing any background information the student might need.

Students can work independently at the computer, following the activity and using the Internet as instructed--either on their own or in small groups, depending on the scope of the activity and the availability of Internet access. Upon completion of the tasks set out in the activity, discussions during which students can share and compare the information they found can be helpful. This is especially true of the longer, more in-depth activities, which ask students to prepare a presentation with the information they've collected.

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