Using the Detailed Search Page:

• Searches using multiple categories will yield all documents that fit both criteria (Boolean AND). For example, a search of condition "cystic fibrosis" and language "Spanish" will yield only those documents about cystic fibrosis that are in Spanish.
• Remember to click on "reset" between searches.

Title:

• GEM searches for exactly what is entered. For example, a search for "cystic fibrosis and newborn screening," will produce only documents with those five words in that order.
• Boolean search terms such as AND and OR do not work in the title field.
• Try entering the most unique, specific term from the title for which you are searching.
• Try searching by condition (e.g. cystic fibrosis) or subject (e.g. newborn screening).
• "The" is not listed as the first word of a title.

Condition:

• Only one condition may be selected per search.
• The most common condition name is listed. For example, "trisomy 21" is listed as "Down syndrome." If a condition is not listed, look for alternative names for that condition.
• If a condition is not listed, try looking for a broader category. For example, search for "chromosome abnormalities" or "cancer" instead of "trisomy 18" or "breast cancer."
• To limit your search, choose a condition and enter a title word. For example, choose "cancer" and enter "colon" as a title word.
• To limit your search, choose a condition and a subject. For example, choose "cystic fibrosis" and "carrier testing."

Subject:

• Choosing two subjects will yield all documents pertaining to either subject (Boolean OR). For example, a search for both subjects "data" and "birth defects monitoring" will produce all of the documents about either topic.
• Searching for a subject and any other criteria (e.g. condition, language, etc.) will yield only documents that meet both criteria (Boolean AND). For example, a search for subject "genetic screening and testing" and language "Spanish" will produce only documents about genetic screening and testing that are written in Spanish.
• The subject "consumer and health care provider genetics education" contains documents that are about education rather than educational materials.

Audience:

• Choose the intended audience of education materials in order to find appropriate materials. For example, someone seeking materials written in easy-to-understand language would choose "consumers/patients/public." Medical professionals seeking technical materials would choose "health care providers."
• Choosing two groups will yield all documents written for either group (Boolean OR).
• Searching for an audience and any other criteria (e.g. condition, language, etc.) will yield only materials that meet both criteria (Boolean AND).
• The category "other" includes many materials for allied health professionals (medical assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, etc.) and laboratory personnel.

Language:

• This search function allows users to find materials written in a particular language.
• Selecting two languages will yield all of the materials written in either language (Boolean OR). For example, selecting "Vietnamese" and "Spanish" will yield a list of all of the materials written in either Vietnamese or Spanish.
• Selecting a language and any other category, such as condition, will produce only materials that meet both criteria (Boolean AND). For example, selecting "Korean" and condition "Down syndrome" will produce a list of materials about Down syndrome written in Korean.

Format:

• If multiple formats are selected, the search will produce a list of all documents in either format (Boolean OR).
• Choosing a format type and another criteria, such as subject or language, will yield a list of materials that meet both criteria (Boolean AND).

Organization:

• The exact names are used with rare exceptions. For example, documents at www.thalassemia.com would rightly be considered a product of the Children's Hospital Oakland; however, in GEM the organization name used is the "Northern California Comprehensive Thalassemia Center."
• "The" is not included if it is the first word of the organization name.
• Acronyms are not used. For example, CORN is the "Council of Regional Networks for Genetic Services." Similarly, GEM is the Genetic Education Materials Database. However, to keep the various departments of the CDC, MCHB, and the NIH together, these are listed as "NIH - Department," "MCHB - Department," and "CDC - Department."
• This list is more comprehensive than that on the "Organizations Searched" page. This list contains all organizations with materials in GEM. The "Organizations Searched" page includes only those organizations that were evaluated in their entirety. A group with one or two materials in GEM whose other materials have not been reviewed appears on the Organizations drop-down list but not the "Organizations Searched" page.
• Most groups are listed under the main organization name, not the department. For example, ELSI is part of the "National Human Genome Research Institute." To determine whether the GEMdatabase includes publications from a particular group, go to the Organizations Page and look for the group: (a) click on "edit" with your mouse (b) choose "find" from the drop-down menu (c) type in the acronym or a word from the organization name, and (d) click on "find." Alternately (a) enter the acronym or exact group name into a search engine such as "Google" (use quotation marks) (b) go to the main website for the group (c) determine the group's parent organization (d) go back into the GEMdatabase and find the parent group. For example, in GEM the "Office of Minority Health Resource Center" and the "National Bioethics Advisory Commission" are both listed under the "United States Department of Health and Human Services."
• If a name other than the exact group name is almost always used, try looking for the commonly used name. The most frequent example of this is the deletion of "United States" from the organization name. For example, the "United States Department of Health and Human Services" is listed as "Department of Health and Human Services."