Boolean Operators

Boolean - Part I

Give Search Fields a Boost

→Natural Language, Computer-Readable Commands

→Link Search Terms

Include

AND • OR • NOT

AND

Narrows Search Results
Retrieves results including all search terms
Default operator between words even un-typed

Example: If a student types global warming, the database will automatically search as though they typed global AND warming.

OR

Broadens search results
Best used with synonyms, related words, and different spellings

Example: If a student searches for global warming OR air pollution they will retrieve many more related results from the database.

NOT

Limits a search by disregarding specific words
For search engines, use the minus sign (-) instead
- i.e. -.com will omit commercial websites

Example: Global warming NOT air pollution will only retrieve results with global warming. No records with air pollution will appear.

Boolean - Part II

Additional Boolean Operators

→Symbols and Punctuation

→Use in Combination with AND, OR, & NOT

Include

Quotation Marks "..." • Truncation ...*... • Wildcard ...? • Nesting (...)

Decorative image displaying quotation marks, asterisk, question mark, and parentheses

Quotation Marks "..."

Searches for the exact phrase
Does NOT search words in a random order

Use this to search for exact titles.

Example: "Global warming" AND "air pollution" will retrieve records with both of those exact phrases, rather than records with any combination of those four words.

**Truncation ...*...**

Searches for multiple versions of a word
Functions like OR but with less typing

Type the root word, then add an * at the end.

Example: Adapt* will retrieve records as though Adapt OR Adapting OR Adapted OR Adaptation OR Adaptedness OR Adapter (etc.) is typed.

Wildcard ...?...

Searches multiple spellings
Like Truncation, but only for one letter

Replace a keyword's changing letter with a ?.

Example: Wom?n will retrieve records with Woman and Women.

Nesting (...)

Parentheses ( ) group concepts together
Like parentheses in math's Order of Operations

Best for combining two or more Boolean Operators.

Example: Searching for Gaming AND (Adolescents OR Teenagers) will return results with instances of the keyword, Gaming, only when the keywords, Adolescents OR Teenagers, is also present.