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About > Search hints

   Search hints

Quick search
Enter search terms without punctuation or linking words such as "and". The search will automatically look for records including all your search words. If you get too few results, try searching with fewer words.

'And' searches
The default search will be for the exact phrase you type in.

'Or' searches
For 'or' searches go to Advanced search and use the same criteria field for all the terms you wish together. For example, if you wish to find all titles which contain both 'inhibition' and 'direction' choose 'title' in both criteria 1. and 2. and enter 'inhibition' in 1. and 'direction' in 2.

Subject search
As it can be difficult to know exactly where to search for a subject, it is useful to start a search with a class (the first letter) or with a class and a section (the first number after the letter). E.g. a search for “H.4” will include everything from H.40 to H.49. A search for “H.43” will include everything from “H.43.01” to “H.43.99” and so on.

It is useful to search in more than one class as many subjects are treated in different circumstances. For example, if you want to know about teaching in groups, then apart from D.53.50 (the methodology of group teaching), try D.54.70 (the methodology of application work - as this often happens in groups), D.22.40 (giving workshops) and H.30 (drama - because many drama students are taught in groups).

Another example: if you want to know about pain and the Technique, then apart from D.50-59 (diseases and disorders), try E.46 (the physiology of touch and temperature and pain), individual case histories in -18 (all classes), and such categories as H.40 (music - because pain when playing is often a reason for musicians to take up the Technique). If interested in breathing with the Alexander Technique try also H.47 (wind instruments) for example.

Books as sources of specific subjects
Chapters in books are not individually recorded but may contain useful material. If, for example, you are searching for literature on the primary control, you might want to consult Gelb’s Body Learning and de Alcantara’s Indirect Procedures in which there are chapters on the primary control.

Quick find for certain specific subjects
The first twenty numbers (00-19) are fixed categories for all classes and all divisions. For example, -16 is for book reviews of books with a specific class (e.g. H.30.16 is for book reviews on the Technique and acting because the book itself will classed as H.30). Search “16” to find all reviews in the Archives. Another example: -08 is for research. “H.41.08” is for research on music and the Technique. Search “08” to find all research on the Technique. And “H.41.08.16” will contain reviews of research on music and the Technique.

Title search
Titles are rarely indicative of contents. If you know the title remember to leave out the leading articles such as 'a' or 'the' at the beginning.

Spelling
Bear in mind differences in English and American usage and spelling when searching in the title field. E.g. ‘behaviour’, ‘organise’ in English and ‘behavior’, ‘organize’ in American English. ‘9/1/01’ is 9th January 2001 in English, and ‘1st September 2001’ in American English. Dates are standardised in other fields.

Name search
Names are listed by surname first, separated from first name by a comma. Names are entered as printed, so the same name can be listed in different ways. For example, when searching for F. M. Alexander use both “F. Matthias” and “F. M.” (Note that all titles using “FM” have been standardised as “F. M.”).

When searching under name bear in mind that people may have changed name (e.g. when marrying and divorcing), and sometimes people sign articles with their nickname, e.g. for “Richard Gummere” see also “Buzz Gummere”, for “Deborah Caplan” see also “Debby Caplan”.

Key words & Abstract
Apart from a few exceptions the “key words” and “abstract” fields are not in use yet.

Items not individually catalogued
It is not possible to create record cards for short introductions and articles where the Alexander Technique is introduced in passing. As a general rule articles need to consists of more than 150 words on the Technique to be catalogued. Articles which are too short are catalogued in Class O, in folders by year, and can be viewed in the office.

For more details

   The classification system
   Manual for classification
   For archivists

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