Database Ordering and Duplicates
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The same document can be available from more than one ProQuest database. This situation gives rise to the term duplicate documents, or simply, duplicates. When there are duplicates, the default behavior is to retrieve only one document from one database and show that document in your results list. To change that behavior, you can click Preferences while signed into My Research, and select Include duplicate documents. With the preference selected and saved, your results list will provide links to each duplicate document in each database.

What is the purpose of the ‘Duplicate Documents — Order Preference’ page?

The Duplicate Documents — Order Preference page displays when you click the Change link on the Results page, in the right column beneath the heading Duplicate document settings. The purpose of the page is to specify which databases you prefer to have documents retrieved from, when the same document is available from more than one database.

Important to know — The Duplicate document settings section on the Results page does not display when:

The Duplicate Documents — Order Preference page lists all of your currently selected ProQuest databases. By default, the list is alphabetically ordered A–Z. You can change this order to Z–A. However, simply seeing the list ordered A–Z or Z–A does not set your order of preference when it comes to determining duplicate display preferences in your results lists.

How you can specify your databases preferences

By default, all listed databases have a value of 0 (zero) in the box before the database name. All zeros for every database indicate that you have no database preferences when ProQuest encounters duplicates. A dark blue bar at the top of the list reinforces the notion you have not specified any preferences. At the right end of this bar, is a shaded blue box with this text: No preference below this line. If the line is all way at the top, above the database list, then there are no preferences set. The line will move as you enter numbers.

To indicate your preferred databases, simply over-type zeros with a number—the higher the number, the higher the preference; the lower the number, the lower the preference. For example if you prefer medical content from Embase, over MEDLINE, you could give Embase a 1, and MEDLINE a 2. When the same document is available from both databases, ProQuest will return the document from Embase in your results list. And that may be the only preference you care to set. If it is, click Apply preferred databases, and you’re done.

Tip — After you’ve applied your database preferences, this text displays in the Duplicate document settings section of the Results page: Preferred databases applied.

As you enter numbers corresponding to databases, the list refreshes dynamically to move those databases above the dark blue line.

Tip — Use ‘drag and drop’ to move databases up or down in your list.

  1. Click anywhere in a database row.
  2. Hold your mouse button down.
  3. Move the database up or down in the list.
  4. Release the mouse button.
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