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How to Conduct a Proximity Search

A proximity search looks for documents where two or more terms appear within a specified distance. In HeinOnline, there are multiple ways to conduct a proximity search between two or more single terms.

Keep reading or watch this short video to learn more.

Video Tutorial

Tilde (~) Symbol

To find multiple-word terms within a certain number of words of each other, which can be in any order in the results, enter the terms in quotation marks and then enter the tilde symbol and your desired number.

In the example below, users will receive results that contain the terms Ubertransportation, and law within 10 words of each other.

“uber transportation law”~10

Search Tip: You cannot use other syntax within the ” ” parameters.

w/#

To find two single terms within a certain number of words of each other in a document, use w/# between the terms. In the example below, users will receive results that contain the terms Uber and transportation within 10 words of each other.

uber w/ 10 transportation

w/s

Use w/s or /s between single terms to find results that contain the terms within approximately the same sentence.

uber w/s transportation

w/p

Use w/p or /p between single terms to find results that contain the terms within approximately the same paragraph. The syntax defines a paragraph as within 75 words.

uber w/p transportation

w/seg

Use w/seg or /seg between single terms to find results that contain the terms within approximately the same segment. The syntax defines a segment as within 100 words.

uber w/seg transportation

Search Tip: The w/ function cannot be used with more than two terms or with phrases.

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