When we search we often want to communicate with technology as if it is human, for example we typing in our entire research question. This way of communicating is called natural language. And while people who create databases and search engines have become better at making algorithms that understand our natural language, it is not the way databases "talk".
For technology to understand us, it requires a special set of conventions, including: Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), truncation symbols, nesting, and quotes. Databases and search engines apply these rules differently, so check the HELP files in the database you are using to find out more.
This video explains AND, OR, NOT and how to use them.
In addition to AND, OR, NOT there are additional symbols that can help improve your searches called Boolean modifiers. As we will see in the video below, these Boolean modifiers can help refine your search.
Tip: Sometimes it is better to break your search topic into smaller chunks. Searching for altenatives, water control devices, climate change, and flood waters may prove to be too many ideas together, so divide it up into more manageable segments.
AND |
Use AND to retrieve both search terms |
OR |
Use OR to retrieve either search term(s) |
NOT |
Use NOT to exclude search term(s) |
" " |
Use " " to keep the order of words or phrases intact |
( ) |
Use ( ) to organize the order of relationships in your search |
* |
Use * to the end of a term to search all ending of the root word, e.g. govern* retrieves government, governmental, govern, governs, governor |
? |
Use ? to find alternate spellings, e.g. wom?n retrieves woman or women, also differences between British and American spellings, e.g. behav?r retrieves behavior or behaviour |
Text is not case sensitive
Most search engines do not search punctuation or certain words, e.g. the, a, of, by
Check the help section of the database or search engine, as advanced search options may differ.
Did you know that we can also use Boolean operators and symbols to search Google more efficiently? Watch this video to learn more!
Essential Google Search Tricks for Research from Common Sense Media
Here are some additional ways to save time when searching Google.
Are you a fan of Google Scholar? Did you know that you can teach Google Scholar to recognize Kirk Library as your library and it will let you know when there is access through Kirk Library? Check out this Google Scholar guide to learn more.
