CHAPTER 5

Data Retrieval: Search

Data retrieval is the process of finding a record or set of related records in a database. There are three types of data retrieval: search, filter, and browse. For more on filtering and browsing, see Chapter 6.

Searches can be simple, requiring only a search-entry area and a button. However, they can sometimes be very complex, and the results can be graphical as well as textual. Note: Search is not the same as “Find;’ which looks for information only on the current page.

Searching: Doing the Numbers

The Internet has probably raised the bar for search—people may expect “friendlier,” more conversational search controls and methods. They may also expect to see ranked results, search histories, and thesauruses (“do ...

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