Help Page Instructions

Welcome to the Political Apologies and Reparations search module help page. On this page, you will find information concerning the difference between the basic and advanced search modules of this website. We have also included a number of search scenarios in order to assist you to learn the most effective way to utilize the search modules and retrieve the search results you are looking for.

Basic Search: The basic search module has been developed to permit for the most effective search results with minimal user input. The basic search contains three input fields: keyword, donor, and recipient. At least one field must contain a search term in order for the module to retrieve search results. For more information concerning the specific function of a search field, please click on the Help Icon (). This search module is suitable for all internet users.

Advanced Search: The advanced search module has been developed to permit for the most effective search results through the use of advanced search limitation tools. The advanced search contains the three basic search fields as well as an additional seven search limitation fields. The additional search limitation fields are: document type, country, date, title, author, and source. You may use any combination of fields to retrieve search results. For more information concerning the specific function of a search field, please click on the Help Icon (). This search module is suitable for moderate to advanced internet users.

Search Scenarios:

1. Basic: Keyword

   In this scenario, a researcher wants to search for all entries concerning slavery. The researcher will enter the word "slavery" into the keyword search field and leave both the donor and recipient fields blank. The search results will include all entries where slavery is listed as a keyword without any further search limitations.

2. Basic: Donor and Recipient (without exclude)

   In this scenario, a researcher wants to search for all entries concerning apologies made by the United States to African Americans. The researcher will enter "United States" into the donor field and "African Americans" into the recipient field. The keyword field is left blank. The search results will include all entries where the United States is the donor and African Americans are the recipients.

3. Basic: Donor, Recipient and Keyword (with exclude)

   In this scenario, a researcher wants to search for all entries concerning apologies made by the United States concerning slavery except for those apologies made to African Americans. The researcher will enter "slavery" into the keyword field and "United States" into the donor field. Furthermore, the researcher will enter "African Americans" into the recipient field and check the "Exclude Recipient from Results" checkbox. The search results will include all entries where the United States is the donor, slavery is listed as a keyword, and the recipient is not African Americans.

4. Advanced: Basic, Limit by Country

   In this scenario, a researcher wants to search for apologies made by Japan to the Netherlands concerning Dutch citizens who were used by Japanese soldiers as comfort women during World War II. The researcher has already entered Japan into the donor field and the Netherlands into the recipient field and has not retrieved any relevant results. In the advanced search, the researcher will enter Japan as the donor and will enter the Netherlands within the country field. Among the search results will be an entry where Japan was the donor, Korea was the recipient, and women from the Netherlands were mentioned during the apology. Limitation by country can also be done through the keyword field.

5. Advanced: Basic, Limit by Date

   In this scenario, a researcher is looking for all apologies made by the United States to African Americans between May 1970 and December 1974. The researcher has already entered the United States into the donor field and African Americans into the recipient field and has retrieved too many results. In the advanced search, the researcher will re-enter the same search terms into the donor and recipient fields and will modify the date field to read: From 1970 May to 1974 December. Likewise, the researcher will ensure that only the Reparation Date checkbox is checked but not the event date. The search results will include all entries where an apology or reparation was made by the United States to African Americans between May 1970 and December 1974.
   
   If the researcher wanted to search for a similar entry for an event which occurred on September 16, 1978, then the researcher would re-enter the same values into the donor and recipient fields, will ensure that the Event Date checkbox is checked, and modify the date field to read: On 1978 September 16. The search results will include all entries where the United States apologized to African Americans for an event that occurred on September 16, 1978.

6. Advanced: Document search by Title

   In this scenario, a researcher is looking for documents that specifically have the words Rwanda and genocide in the title. In the advanced search, the researcher will enter the keywords Rwanda and genocide into the Title field. The search results will include all entries where both Rwanda and genocide are listed in the title of the document.

7. Advanced: Document search by Author, limit by Source

   In this scenario, a researcher is looking for a document by Gabriel Partos that was published on the BBC Online website. In the advanced search, the researcher will enter Gabriel Partos into the author field, and BBC Online into the source field. The search results will include all entries authored by Gabriel Partos and published by BBC Online.

8. Advanced: Basic, limit by Date, Author, and Source

   In this scenario, a researcher wants to search for a specific document concerning an apology made by the United States to African Americans, on November 1, 1995, that was printed in the New York Times and authored by Nicholas D. Kristof. In the advanced search, the researcher would enter United States into the donor field, African Americans into the recipient field, Nicholas D. Kristof into the author field, and New York Times into the source field. Likewise, the researcher would ensure that the Reparation Date checkbox was checked, and that the date field read: On 1995 November 1. The search result should contain one entry that satisfies all of the above search criteria.

The above search scenarios were developed in order to assist you to learn some of the more complicated functions of the search modules. As the scenarios suggest, search results can be made as general or specific as the user needs. If you still require assistance searching this website, please email political-apologies@wlu.ca and one of our team members will be more than happy to assist you. Please allow at least four business days for responses.