[PW] Re: "sounds like" searching

[Marian Drabkin]

Since it's a medication, perhaps you (or the patron)
  could ask a pharmacist if there's something that sounds
  like that.  A pharmacist at a large pharmacy or a
  hospital pharmacy has probably heard every possible
  variation of every medication generally prescribed.
  And if you know what it sounds like but aren't sure of
  the spelling, that's the time when looking at print lists
  (like the various tables of contents in the PDR) can be
  more helpful than looking online. If the patron knows
  what the stuff is supposed to be for -- e.g., if it's an
  anti-inflammatory, or a sedative, or whatever -- they
  can scan down the list of medications in that category
  until they see something that sounds like that or triggers
  a memory of the right name.
   
  Marian Drabkin
  

Michelle Hawk <refdesk at lclibs.org> wrote:
  Does anyone know of a way to find a word (in this case, a medication),
when the patron only knows what the word sounds like, but really doesn't
have any idea of how it's really spelled? I've Googled the few spelling
variations I can think of, but can't find anything. Any help would be
appreciated.

~Michelle





Michelle Hawk

Head of Reference

Lebanon Community Library

125 North 7th Street

Lebanon, PA 17046

717-273-7624 x3

refdesk at lclibs.org



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