Advanced Search
 
The Essentials of AZBOnline Search

Doing a search on AZB is easier then ever.

Simply type one or more search terms (the words or phrase that best describe the information you want to find) into the search box and hit the 'Enter' key or click on the Search AZB button.

 In response, AZB produces a results page: a list of information within our site related to your search terms, with the most relevant page appearing first, then the next, and so on. Here are some basic tips to help you maximize the effectiveness of your search: .

Choosing search terms

Choosing the right search terms is the key to finding the information you need.

Start with the obvious – if you're looking for general information on Kitchens, try Kitchen.

But it's often advisable to use multiple search terms; if you're planning a Kitchen Remodel, you'll do better with Kitchen remodel than with either kitchen or Remodel by themselves. And Kitchen Remodel counters may produce even better (or, depending on your perspective, worse) results.

You might also ask yourself if your search terms are sufficiently specific. It's better to search on Kitchen Remodelers than on Remodelers. But choose your search terms carefully; AZB looks for the search terms you chose, so Kitchen Remodel will probably deliver better results than really nice people to remodel my kitchen.  

Capitalization

AZB searches are NOT case sensitive. All letters, regardless of how you type them, will be understood as lower case. For example, searches for george washington, George Washington, and gEoRgE wAsHiNgToN will all return the same results.  

Automatic "and" queries

By default, AZB only returns pages that include all of your search terms. There is no need to include "and" between terms. Keep in mind that the order in which the terms are typed will affect the search results. To restrict a search further, just include more or less terms. For example, to find a Acupuncturist, simply type Acupuncture.

 
Exclusion of common words

AZB ignores common words and characters such as "where" and "how", as well as certain single digits and single letters, because they tend to slow down your search without improving the results.

If a common word is essential to getting the results you want, you can include it by putting a "+" sign in front of it. (Be sure to include a space before the "+" sign.)

Another method for doing this is conducting a phrase search, which simply means putting quotation marks around two or more words. Common words in a phrase search (e.g., "where are you") are included in the search.

 
Phrase searches

Sometimes you'll only want results that include an exact phrase. In this case, simply put quotation marks around your search terms. Phrase searches are particularly effective if you're searching for proper names ("ITI Consulting"), or other famous phrases ("Kitchen Remodeling").  

Negative terms

If your search term has more than one meaning (bass, for example, could refer to fishing or music) you can focus your search by putting a minus sign ("-") in front of words related to the meaning you want to avoid.   Note: when you include a negative term in your search, be sure to include a space before the minus sign.