Help with searching the Therapeutic Goods Administration website
You can search for information in either simple mode or advanced mode. Searching can also be enhanced by the use of search operators, which are symbols that can be added to a search to permit more complicated queries.
Simple search
The Simple Search input box is located on the right-hand side of every page on this website. Type in your search word(s) and click 'Search'.
Simple search results page
The Simple Search results page has a 'Search Summary' box at the top, showing the number of pages fully or partially matching your query (if any). If your search was successful, this will be followed by the list of matching pages.
- Fully matching documents - pages listed under this heading contain all the words that you searched for. These pages have been selected by the search engine.
- Documents matching (number) out of (total number) search constraints - pages listed under this heading contain some, but not all, of the words that you searched for. These pages have been selected by the search engine.
Refine your simple search
If your search didn't return the results you were after, you can alter your search word(s) and search again. All your previous search words will still be listed in the 'Search Summary' box at the top of the search results page. You can add or remove words from the search, or delete everything and start a completely new search.
Advanced search
There is an 'Advanced Search' link located below the Simple Search input box on each page. Clicking this link will take you to the Advanced Search page.
The Advanced Search page gives you more options for defining your search than a Simple Search does. It also gives you the option to extend your search to web sites maintained by the state and territory governments.
The Advanced Search page provides several criteria for searching:
- Any of the words - like a Simple Search, typing your search words in here will return results containing one or more of those words. Results containing more of your search words will be displayed ahead of results containing fewer of your search words.
- All the words - typing your search words in here will only return results that contain all of the words you have nominated.
- The phrase - typing your search words in here will only return results containing all of the words you nominated where those words are also in the order you entered them.
- None of the words - typing words in here will specifically exclude results that contain them. This field is generally only useful when results are being generated from one of the first four fields.
- Document format - choosing an option here will limit search results to those results which are available in the chosen format. The default document format is 'Any'.
- Document title - typing words in here here will limit search results to those documents that have a metadata title field matching those words.
- Published before - choosing an option here will limit search results to those results which have a metadata field indicating that it was published before this date.
- Published before - choosing an option here will limit search results to those results which have a metadata field indicating that it was published after this date.
You can utilise one, some or all of these criteria in a single search request; for example, you can search for a specific phrase while excluding certain other words and limiting results to those in a specific format. Please note that searches that include and exclude the same search words will not generate any results.
Advanced search results page
The Advanced Search results page begins with a summary of the search criteria you selected and the number of pages fully or partially matching your query (if any). If your search was successful, this will be followed by the list of matching pages. You might find that the list of results is divided up under these different headings:
- Fully matching documents - pages listed under this heading contain all the words that you searched for. These pages have been selected by the search engine.
- Documents matching (number) out of (total number) search constraints - pages listed under this heading contain some, but not all, of the words that you searched for. These pages have been selected by the search engine.
Refine your advanced search
If your search didn't return the pages you were after, either enter another term or click on the 'Refine your search' link (located below the search criteria summary) and you will return to the Advanced Search page. From here, you can alter the search criteria and search again.
Search term operators
In most cases, the Funnelback search engine produces high quality results from simple queries consisting of a list of words.
Funnelback also allows you to craft more detailed queries using specific Funnelback search operators. For example, operators can be used to search for plural forms of your search words, or search for words that only partly match your search words.
All of the search operators listed below can be used in the simple search field or in the 'Any of the words' field in Advanced Search. The following are the most common Funnelback search operators:
- Quote marks - for example, "search words" - placing quote marks around a string of words will return results that contain all those words in that exact sequence. This is the same as using the 'The phrase' field in Advanced Search.
- Minus sign - for example, search -words - placing a minus sign in front of a search term will return only results that do not contain that term. This is the same as using the 'Without the words' field in Advanced Search.
- Plus sign - for example, search +words - placing a plus sign in front of a search term will return only results that contain that term. This is the same as using the 'All the words' field in Advanced Search.
- Exclamation mark - for example, search !words - placing an exclamation mark in front of a search term will exclude documents containing the term from 'fully matching' results, but will still allow those documents to be returned as 'partially matching' results (by comparison, using a minus sign will not allow the documents to show up in either results list).
- Square brackets - for example, [search words] - placing square brackets around a string of search terms will return 'fully matching' results that contain one or more of those terms. The results screen will not discriminate between results containing only one term and those containing more than one term. This is the same as using the 'At least one of the words' field in Advanced Search.
- Backquote marks - for example, `search words` - placing backquote marks around a string of search terms will return only results that contain all those terms within a total space of 15 words.
- Asterisk(s) - for example, sear*, *arch, *ear* - placing asterisk(s) before and/or after a search term will return results that contain that term as well as any results that contain that term as part of a larger word (where the extra letters are positioned in place of the asterisk(s)).
- Hash - for example, search# word# - placing a hash at the end of a search term will return results that contain that term as well as any results that contain a recognised variation, such as a plural or adjective form of the term (even if that form alters the spelling of the core term).
- D and bracket(s) - for example, d<20sep2004, d>apr2002, d>2001<2005, d<2002>2003 - D and bracket(s) are entered as a separate search term, and allow the user to limit their search results to those results last modified within a certain date range via the following syntax:
- d<(date) means results published before the date;
- d>(date) means results published after the date;
- d>(date)<(date) means results published after the first date but before the second date; or
- d<(date)>(date) means results published before the first date but after the second date.