Project Search Help: Exclusive
Using the exclusive option when combining keys for a single search means to include projects with keys that match every one of the checked keys. For example, if you are searching for years and you check both 94 and 95, the search will result in no projects at all, since a project can only appear in one year; there are no projects which were completed in 94 and completed again in 95. i.e. the exclusive option is the most limiting way to search the projects. On the contrary, the inclusive option is more generous.
A more sensible use of the exclusive option would be to search for projects which had both the keywords solar and electricity. Searching for only solar or only electricity might make two long lists, but searching for projects with both keywords will really home in on the desired result. You do have to be careful with this, though, since you have to trust that the keys you expected were used to describe the project. If a project doesn't have all the labels you expect, you might miss it.
Similarly, when combining the results of two searches the exclusive option means to select only those projects which appeared both in the results of the first search and as in the results of the second search. Again, this is the most limiting way to combine them, resulting in a final group which is no larger than the largest of the two groups being combined.
For example, if you had a group of projects found with keyword solar and a group of projects from year 95, then the exclusive combination of the two of them would show you only the solar projects from that year.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: August 27, 2007 09:46:13