How to use it?
UNSCdeb8 operates with search parameters that can be variably specified and combined. It runs on precise user input rules to list, break down and visualize results, and it features different export functions. UNSCdeb8 is currently optimized for desktops and the browser Chrome. Please report bugs and your suggestions for interface or function redesign via the
Contact page.
(1) Search parameters
Design your own queries by working with these filters:
All Fields: Search with keywords in any of the below filters. Viable user input commands and UNSCdeb8 search logics are described further below.
Agenda: Search by the formal agenda titles that were given to meetings. Official UNSC agenda titles tend to be very broad. They often follow the format
The situation in XYZ (or
Letter dated XX.XX.XXXX from…)
Nation: Search statements by delegations of particular nations from a pre-set dropdown menu, where you can also cluster the permanent (P5) and elected members (E10).
Date: Restrict your query to specific time periods. The ‘date from’ and ‘date to’ boxes use the DD.MM.YYYY format.
Statement: This parameter allows you to search in all statements using a particular keyword or phrase. This is an open field. Viable user input commands and UNSCdeb8 search logics are described further below.
S/PV no.: This is the UN’s classificatory system for individual session verbatim records (S stands Security Council, PV for
procès verbal). Enter a number to directly access the verbatim records of specific sessions.
Role of Speaker: Filter the role of the speakers here by differentiating between UNSC members on one hand, and (the rotating) UNSC presidencies on the other. ‘Member’ and ‘President’ are currently the only two categories operating in this search filter.
Speaker Name: Search for statements made by a particular speaker, such as a specific ambassador.
(2) Combining search parameters
Combine the above parameter choices by using the AND or OR functions. AND delivers results that meet both parameter selections. OR returns results that meet the criteria of at least one of the specified parameters.
You can combine
different parameters and construct more advanced search rules by using
same parameters in different ways. For example, a query may be defined as
Nation=Russia AND France;
Agenda=Afghanistan OR Syria;
Statement=Threat AND Global.
You can also
exclude specific terms from your query. This function currently operates as user input (see next paragraph).
(3) User input
Some search parameters contain present choices, such as a pre-set dropdown or defined date box.
The open fields will perform searches according to the exact letter combinations and spaces entered. A search for
peace, for example, returns statements featuring that precise expression. Words of which your input only forms a part, such as
peaceful, are not identified as results. Likewise, a search for
peace and security returns that specific combination of letters and spaces. Different to popular web search engines, no quotes are required to search word sequences.
To exclude specific terms from a search, write
not! into an open field, followed by an empty space and that term. For example: Exclude statements using the word
terrorism by entering
not! terrorism into an open field.
(4) Results list
The
Search button runs your query. Underneath your search parameters, UNSCdeb8 indicates how many results were returned, and it displays a line-item list setting out all individual results. This list of speeches matching your search is grouped in sets of 50.
In the lists’ columns, hyperlinks let you zoom in on the results. Click on a link in the statement column to view (in HTML) the statement matching your search query criteria. Hit download to obtain the .txt file version of the item listed in this line. Select S/PV no. to view all data (in HTML) pertaining to that specific meeting, hence including the line item statement.
(5) Results breakdowns and charts
You can break down and visualise the results’ distribution across years and UNSC member state, once a search was performed. To do so select the function
Calculate results breakdown. This function appears right next to the results number, i.e., is located between the search parameters and the results list.
The
breakdown differentiates your results in three tables. The first distributes the results across the 15 UNSC members and years currently imported into the database. The second table disaggregates the permanent delegations (P5), the third table unpacks the elected (E10) delegations.
Get the statements of a specific delegation and year by clicking on that cells’ hyperlink.
Close Window to continue working with UNSCdeb8.
Download HTML produces a printer-friendly version of the breakdown.
You can reopen a closed breakdown by selecting the
Show Breakdown function now showing next to the results number statement.
Once a breakdown was calculated, you may visualise it as charts. Use the
Show Chart function appearing next to the results number statement to produce thee line charts. The first chart shows the distribution of results across the 15 UNSC members and years currently imported into the database. The second and third charts do the same for the permanent delegations (P5) and the elected (E10) delegations, respectively.
(6) Downloads and Document IDs
Export your results as .csv, .txt or .zip files at the bottom of the page. This permits you to give your selection a close qualitative reading, or process it with quantitative text analysis software.
CSV files can be used with
Excel or
Access, for example. They include all statements in the results table, matched to their parameter classifications.
TXT files contain all full verbatim statements matching your search query. These pure speech .txt files are ideal for analyses using corpus linguistics software.
ZIP files deliver a compressed folder in which each statement listed in the results table is organised as a separate file.
Finally,
Document ID produces a list of all verbatim records (S/PV numbers) featuring in your results. This offers another way of getting an overview on documents and sessions.