Search Tools: Zuyd Library Search Engine DiZ

DiZ, an acronym for “Discover information sources Zuyd" is Zuyd Library's very own search engine with which you can perform an integrated search through the library catalogue and multiple databases.
You will find the DiZ search engine on the library website.

Why use DiZ when there is Google?
A great deal of scientific information is contained in databases which Google cannot access. The reason being that this information must be paid for. Zuyd Library purchases licenses from publishers to give Zuyd students and staff access to this information.

Unlike Google, the DiZ search engine can search the Zuyd information sources exclusively and – most importantly - link you directly through to the full-text document.

Please note:
There will be certain databases that are not included in a discovery service, so it is still important to check the subject-specific databases on your topic to make sure that you have not missed any research data that is not included in the discovery search.

For a comprehensive literature search we advise you to use the advanced search option. The advanced search option allows you to search for several different search terms at the same time with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), and you can indicate per search term in which field you would like to search such as title, author, or keyword. Explanations for the additional search options:

• Search modes
  Boolean/phrase - there are less than five other words between the search terms and will give a more filtered result than ‘search for all terms’
• Apply related words
  expand the search results by searching for synonyms and plurals of the search terms submitted
• Full text available
  only search for results that have the full text available within the Zuyd Library collection.
• Peer-reviewed
  limit search result to articles in peer-reviewed journals.
• Catalogue only
  Only search for publications in the library catalogue

In addition to DiZ, also keep making use of individual subject-specific databases as they often provide extra search options. Moreover, several subject-specific databases (Kluwer Navigator, Company Info, PubMed etc.) are not searched with DiZ. 
For the list of sources that are searched with DiZ, take a look here.

Search techniques
Are you searching with compound search terms? Then make use of:

• Double quotation marks (””)
  By placing the compound search terms between double quotation marks it will search for the exact word combination. For example: “electronic devices”
• Boolean/phrase
  Can be ticked on the advanced search screen. See above under ‘search modes.’

Does the search term have different spellings or various suffixes? Then use wildcards:

• Question mark (?)
  Replaces a single letter and should not be placed after a search term.
  Example: organi?ation (will search for ‘organisation’ and ‘organization’)
• Number sign/Hash sign (#)
  Replaces a letter (or indicates the absence of a letter) and can be placed after a search term, provided that more than two letters precede it.
  For example: col#r (searches for ‘color’ and ‘colour’)
• Asterisk (*)
  Replaces one or more letters at the end of a search term.
  For example: comput* (searches for ‘computer,’ ‘computers,’ ‘computing’)

Click here for all DiZ Infoclips

Create a personal account to personalize your search experience.
The infoclip below will show you how to do this.

Save search results in folders that you can create and name yourself.
The infoclip below will show you how to do this.

And make use of the following other options:

• saving your searches via search history
• creating an alert for a saved search
• sharing saved search results with someone who also has a DiZ personal account

When working at home (or any other internet connection outside the Zuyd network) Zuyd Library uses the proxy server EZproxy to give Zuyd students and staff access to digital content for which the library has a license and that can only be reached through an Zuyd IP-address.

Enter DiZ via the DiZ Home Access link and log in with your Zuyd account.
Read more here

To be clear, when you are on the Zuyd campus, you don't have to use EZproxy.