The Advanced Search function allows you to design your own search form.

There are two steps to using the Advanced Search:

1. First Select one (or more) of the search categories relating to authors, works or subjects you wish to search on and click Select. This will build the search form.
2. Enter your search terms or values in the relevant boxes and click on Search

Step 1

Select the required search categories relating to Authors, Works or Subjects. By clicking on the + sign more detailed fields will appear. Hover text over the check box describes the fields more fully. Once you have selected as many fields as you need click on Select.

The following screen snapshots show the process of selecting several fields at once. For example:

To search for a Female writer of Aboriginal heritage, Born between 1900-1950 who has published Novels. Select the fields below:

Once the search fields have been chosen and the select button clicked, the screen below will appear.

Step 2

Now that the selected search fields can be seen, they can be filled in with your search terms (see screen shot below).

For some fields (such as Heritage, Form or Genre), this process is simply the selection of one or more terms from a drop down list (Note that multiple terms can be selected by holding down the Ctrl key as you click).

For other fields (such as Year of Birth, Awards or Subjects) type your search terms in the text box next to the field name.

If you change your mind about a search field and wish to delete it, just check the delete box that appears to the right of the field. (Note that if you are using a recent version of Internet Explorer, the field will be immediately deleted. On other browsers, the field will remain visible on the web page but will be ignored for searching purposes.)

Use the Limit to full text option to search for items available in full text, select from the Publication details in the search categories.

Use the attributes of the Criticised Works Characteristics fields to find commentaries (Criticism, Reviews, Theses etc) on works with specific Subjects, Genres, Year, and Forms.

For example, to find Reviews of Detective Novels published in 2003, select Form, Genre and Year attributes:

Once the search options have been chosen and the select button clicked, the screen below will appear.

Use the Has Been Serialised field to find works serialised in newspapers or periodicals. Eg. Form Novel and Has Been Serialised.

Use the Periodical Issue Volume, Number or Period (below) to search individual periodical or newspaper issues or a range of periodical or newspaper issues.

Use the Text Note Contains field to find additional information about authors or works. Eg. writers with some link to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

In the Author area select the Text Note Contains field. After clicking Select when the field appears enter: CSIRO

Some other things to find with the Advanced Search:

• Young Adult Novels by women born anywhere in Europe:

  Author : - Personal details - Gender: Female
  Author : - Birth/Death details - Place of Birth: Europe (and narrower terms)
  Work : - Type/Form/Genre - Form: Novel
  Work : - Type/Form/Genre - Genre: Young adult

• Works by writers of Greek or Italian heritage published anywhere in the USA between 1980 and 1999:

  Author : - Personal details - Cultural Heritage: Greek, Italian
  Work : - Publication details - First Known Date: 1980-1999
  Work : - Publication details - Place of publication: USA (and narrower terms)

• Works by women on the subject of 'war' published in Quadrant between 1990 and 1999:

  Author : - Personal details - Gender: Female
  General Subject Terms : War (and narrower terms)
  Work : - Source details - Source: Quadrant
  Work : - Source details - Source Year: 1990-1999

• Works with an ISBN starting with 0901:

  Work : - Publication details - ISBN: 0901*

• Issues of Meanjin volume 59:

  Work : - Title: Meanjin
  Work : - Publication details - Periodical Issue Volume: 59

• Works by Kenneth Slessor about 'Statues' which have appeared in anthologies:

  Author : - Name: Kenneth Slessor
  General Subject Terms : Statues
  Work : - Source details - Source Work Types: Anthology

• Works by Ern Malley that appeared in The Penguin Book of Modern Australian Poetry :

  Author : - Name: Ern Malley
  Work : - Source details - Source Title: The Penguin Book of Modern Australian Poetry

See also the Search Tips and Techniques page for getting the best out of your AustLit searches and the Help pages for how best to view your search results.