Semantic Search

Overview

Semantic Search helps you find students, instructors, and admins even when you make spelling mistakes or only know part of their name. It's more flexible than regular search.

What Makes This Search Special?

Regular Search vs. Semantic Search

How It Works

1. Type what you know about the person
2. The system searches all user information
3. Results appear instantly, best matches first
4. Click on the person you're looking for

Key Features

Typo Tolerance

Search works even with spelling mistakes:

• "Jhon Doe" finds "John Doe"
• "Micheal Smith" finds "Michael Smith"

Partial Name Search

Find users with incomplete information:

• "John" finds all Johns
• "Doe" finds all Does
• "J. Smith" finds John Smith, Jane Smith, etc.

Natural Language Queries

Search using natural descriptions:

• "Students from Lagos"
• "Instructors who teach Kainos"
• "Level 2 students in September intake"

Cross-Field Search

Searches across multiple fields simultaneously:

• Name (first, middle, last)
• Email addresses
• Student ID / RD Number
• Campus and intake information
• Specializations (for instructors)

Where Semantic Search Is Available

User Management

• Existing Students (/students)
• New Intake (/new-intake)
• Level 1 Applications (/applications/level-1)
• Level 2 Applications (/applications/level-2)
• Alumni (/alumni)
• Certificate Holders (/certificate-holders)
• All other user lists

Quick Access

Semantic search is integrated directly into user list pages:

1. Navigate to any user list
2. Use the search bar at the top
3. Type your query (name, email, ID, etc.)
4. Results appear instantly

Common Workflows

How do I find a student with a misspelled name?

1. Navigate to user list (e.g., /students)
2. Type the name as you know it (even with typos)
3. Semantic search finds similar names
4. Review results ranked by relevance

How do I search when I only know part of the name?

1. Go to the appropriate user list
2. Enter the partial name you know
3. System returns all matching users
4. Filter or sort results as needed

How do I find students from a specific campus?

1. Navigate to the user list
2. Use campus filter (traditional)
3. Or use semantic search: "students from [campus name]"
4. Results show campus-specific users

How do I search for instructors with specific skills?

1. Go to instructor management
2. Search using natural language
3. Example: "instructors who teach leadership"
4. Results ranked by relevance

Best Practices

Effective Search Queries

Do:

• Use natural language: "John from Lagos"
• Include known details: "Level 2 September"
• Try variations if first search doesn't match

Don't:

• Worry about exact spelling
• Use complex boolean operators
• Over-specify when unsure

Improving Search Results

1. Start Broad:

   • Begin with partial information
   • Narrow down from results
   • Use filters to refine

2. Use Multiple Terms:

   • Combine name + campus
   • Add intake or level information
   • Include any identifying details

3. Review Top Results:

   • Results are ranked by relevance
   • Top results most likely to match
   • Scroll through first 5-10 results

Understanding Search Results

Search results show the best matches first:

• Top results = Most likely matches
• Check first 5-10 results = Usually find who you need

Each result displays:

• Full name
• Email address
• Student ID or RD Number
• Level and campus (for students)
• Profile picture (if available)

Search Speed

Search results appear almost instantly:

• Most searches complete in less than a second
• Works quickly even with thousands of users
• No waiting or delays

What Information Can Be Searched?

The search looks through:

All Users:

• Names (first, middle, last)
• Email addresses

Students:

• Student ID
• Campus location
• Intake period
• Level (1 or 2)

Instructors:

• RD Number
• Areas of expertise

Admins:

• Job title
• Department

Permissions/Access

Troubleshooting

Search Returns No Results

Possible Causes:

• User doesn't exist
• User is in different campus (for Campus Admins)
• Search criteria too specific

Solutions:

• Try broader search terms
• Check spelling variations
• Remove some search terms
• Verify user exists in system

Wrong Results Appearing

Possible Causes:

• Similar names exist
• Ambiguous search query

Solutions:

• Add more identifying information
• Use filters to narrow results
• Include campus or intake details

Search Is Slow

Possible Causes:

• Network issues
• Large result set
• System load

Solutions:

• Check network connection
• Add more specific search terms
• Try again in a moment

Related Features

• Advanced Search Tips - Optimize your searches
• Search Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions
• User Management - Managing user records