With a Search History, organising, comparing and editing previous searches can be done quickly and easily. In practice, the Search History lists all searches run during one session, so a user can easily return to the results of previous searches or edit earlier searches.
A Search History frequently allows the combining of previous searches. It is often sensible to first run searches in small stages so that the number of documents related to different sections of the subject can be seen in the database. By combining the different stages, the number of hits can be reduced. Sometimes this property is embedded in the Search History, but sometimes it can also appear under its own name (such as 'Combine searches' etc.).
In the Web of Science database, the Search History allows the combining of earlier searches. The searches are combined by marking the desired search strings and then selecting either an AND or an OR operator to combine them.
Source of illustration: Thomson Reuters - Web of Knowledge (Web of Science) <http://apps.webofknowledge.com> 2.7.2013
With the Search History, you can see the search string of each search in full. You can see only string numbers and used operators from combined searches. Modifying previous searches can be done using the Edit link. Search History also allows the saving of searches.
Source of illustration: Thomson Reuters - Web of Knowledge (Web of Science) <http://apps.webofknowledge.com> 2.7.2013
