The items in the search panel function like this:

• Scope: Bear in mind that this search function, like the others in this virtual domain of CA information in EcoPort, will only find items and information that has been grouped (tagged) as belonging to or being relevant to the subject of CA.
• eArticle ID: Every item or object in EcoPort has a unique ID number. This is a useful way for authors to find their own eArticles. In general, this is not very useful for other users since they would not easily know the ID numbers of eArticles. The remaining search methods below are therefore the ones used most frequently.
• Authorname: Enter the name of the eArticle author. The search is set by default to search for names 'beginning with' the author name. Thus, an author who has entered his name as 'Hendrik Smith' will be only be 'findable' if you search using 'hendrik' (not case sensitive) as search term. In this case (first name, surname), entering 'smith' as search term will not find the eArticles written by Hendrik Smith. This is why we encourage authors to enter their identity details in the format 'Surname & initials' as in 'Smith HJ' or 'Smith H.J.'
• Sponsor: If an author is writing under the auspices of his employer or any other agency that makes it possible to write for/in EcoPort, and if the author explicitly links his/her name to the 'sponsoring' institution, then it is possible to find all the eArticles 'sponsored' by the umbrella organization. For example, if several FAO staff members publish eArticles in relevant to CA, then selecting 'FAO' from the list of known eArticle sponsors, will produce a search result listing 8 eArticles by FAO staff.
• Entity name: If an entity, e.g. a crop species, is explicitly featured and tagged as significant for the message of the eArticle by the author while writing the eArticle, then all eArticles featuring (not just containing or mentioning) that species will be found. (This facility is explained in the tutorial section that teaches authors how to write for/in EcoPort.)
• Entity role: When an entity's ecological role is specified in an eArticle, for example, if a featured organism is 'allelopathic' in an ecological relationship, interaction or association described in the eArticle, then selecting the ecological role 'Allelopath' from the drop-down list will find all eArticles in which (any) author focuses on allelopathy as an ecological process. (This facility is explained in the tutorial section that teaches authors how to write for/in EcoPort.)
• Text:Here you can do a 'free text search' that is, you can enter any word that you hope / think might be mentioned in the eArticle anywhere, thereby to find a list of eArticles containing the word / text.