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Description of Database

• Content of database

• Search Options and instructions for use

Content

The database contains descriptions of PHRs identified during the survey. They conform to the International Standard for Archival Description (2nd edn.) Thus, the descriptions of the PHRs give:

• reference number
• covering dates
• title of the record(s)
• a brief administrative or biographical history
• scope and content of the records

The descriptions are also indexed and include geographical and subject terms. This means that they are fully searchable offering the means to identify records for a chosen area of research.

Search Options and instructions for use

Subject - Search using Library of Congress, MeSH and other subject terms

Name - Search for a corporate, family or personal name

Repository - Browse holdings of each organisation in the database

Free Text - Search for words or phrases in the Administrative/Biographical History and Scope and Content

Complex - Use a combination of elements to create a refined search

SUBJECT SEARCH

This screen allows the user to view alphabetical lists of subject terms associated with the descriptions of records in the Clinical Notes database

Browse Subject Terms

1. Click on the letter of the alphabet which corresponds to the term you want to use
2. In the scroll box, highlight your chosen term and click 'Select'

You will now be presented with a list of summary descriptions of records - reference code, dates and title - that relate to your chosen term. If there are more than a total of 10 summaries, they can be viewed ten at time using the 'next' and 'previous' links. You can now view either a 'Brief' or 'Full' version of the description.

Brief - this option displays the collection reference and title, series or item reference code and title, dates of creation and the scope and content.

Full - this option displays all elements of ISAD(G) relevant to the level of description as well as collection reference and title, repository name and contact details, names of associated organisations, persons or families and the Clinical Notes designated record format.

The option to view either a 'Brief' or 'Full' record description is available for all search options.

Subject Search Option

1. Enter your chosen term into the box at the foot of the screen. This term must be at least 4 characters long. It can be a string of letters which might form part of term, such as 'anthr'.
   
2. Click 'Search'
3. Search results for 'anthr' will return summaries of all records descriptions where the character string 'anthr' appears in an attached subject term. In this case, 'anthrax' and 'anthropometry'.

Proceed as before.

NAME SEARCH

This screen offers the same 'browse' and 'search' facilities as featured in the SUBJECT SEARCH, except that it searches for names associated with the record descriptions

Name Browse Option

This option allows the user to browse separate lists of corporate names and a combined list of personal and family names.

1. Choose either 'Corporate' or 'Family/Personal'
2. Click 'Browse'

This will display either all 'Corporate' or all 'Family/Personal names in the database depending on your choice.

From the 'drop-down' box

3. Highlight a term from the list and click 'View'

You will be shown a list of record summaries for the chosen term. Proceed as before.

Name Search Option

This option will perform a search on a string of characters as with the 'subject search'.

1. enter your term or string of characters, e.g. 'john'
2. Click 'Search'
3. Highlight your chosen term in the drop-down box and click 'View'.

Proceed as before.

REPOSITORY SEARCH

This option will display summaries of all record descriptions held by each repository

1. Choose the repository name from the drop-down list
2. Click 'Search'

Proceed as before

FREE TEXT SEARCH

This option will search across the content of the administrative/biographical history and scope and content fields for each record description using the terms entered.

1. Enter your chosen terms into one or both boxes
2. Highlight the 'Or' or 'And' options if more than one term is used
3. Click 'Search'

Proceed as before

COMPLEX SEARCH

This option offers the possibility of searching the database using multiple criteria.

1. Choose your search parameters

NB, if you want to 'Use all subject terms', please also choose either a geographical term or a record format to avoid the return of an over-large set of results

2. Click 'Search'

You will then be presented with any results from your search with a summary of your chosen search parameters at the head of the list

Proceed as before.