
The Boolean Machine is a tool for visualizing the effects of Boolean operators on keyword searches. Operators, also called modifiers, are terms such as AND, NOT.

Perhaps the subject heading is phrased “entomology” rather than “insects”? If so, search again, replacing “insects” with “entomology”. A boolean search is a technique to search for information using an operator and keywords. Subject headings are chosen from a controlled vocabulary. When you find relevant articles, look at the subject headings in each record. Use truncation – in most databases, the truncation symbol is an asterisk (*).Ĭorps* will retrieve corps e and corps es. Boolean operators are useful in saving time by focusing searches for more. Find out if you actually need Boolean search Boolean logic powers up a search query and makes it more adaptable to your needs. You can repeat and combine these elements. Formula Field of work AND (keyword OR keyword OR keyword) NOT keyword Example Medical Practice AND (sports OR nutrition OR wellness) NOT injury We used this Boolean string in the Keywords filter.

Insects NOT beetles when you want insects but not beetlesīeetles NOT automobiles when you want beetles but not carsįingerprinting NOT dna when you want the old-fashioned type Using these operators can greatly reduce or expand the amount of records returned. Here are five steps to help you nail Boolean search for social media monitoring. A Boolean search is straightforward, combining keywords with operators to achieve the outcome. Use the Boolean search to target or blacklist leads from a specific niche industry. (corpses OR cadavers) AND insects retrieves records containing the word insects as well as either the word corpses or the word cadavers Connect them with either AND, OR, or NOT.Ĭorpses AND insects retrieves records containing both wordīeetles OR flies retrieves records containing either word Recommended Reading: Google Search Shortcuts.Decide what words best describe your topic. Use Boolean search operators and modifiers to target your search query and to find the results you need faster. For example, a basic keyword when hiring an HR manager would be human resources. Keywords Keywords in a Boolean search can include position names, skills, education, location, years of experience and more. Google search uses additional symbols and words to refine searches such as “site:” to search a specific site or domain or use $ in front of a number to search for a price. A Boolean search is straightforward, combining keywords with operators to achieve the outcome. Example: administrator NOT managerīasic Boolean search commands (quotes, AND and OR) are supported in Google search, however Google defaults to AND searches automatically, so you don’t need to enter AND into the search box. Example: “network administrator” OR “network manager” OR: Broaden your search with multiple terms.Example: network AND (administrator OR architect) Parenthesis: Combine modifiers to create a more complex search.Quotes: Use quotes to search for an exact phrase.

Note that AND, NOT and OR will generally need to be in capital letters when used as a search operator. The following example describe the different Boolean search operators. This would limit the search results to only those documents containing the two keywords. For example, a Boolean search could be “hotel” AND “New York”. Boolean search is a type of search allowing users to combine keywords with operators (or modifiers) such as AND, NOT and OR to further produce more relevant results.
