Information Literacy & Critical Appraisal: Search Tips
Boolean Operators
Boolean operators form the basis of mathematical sets and database logic.
- They connect your search words together to either narrow or broaden your set of results.
- The three basic boolean operators are: AND, OR, and NOT.
Why use Boolean operators?
- To focus a search, particularly when your topic contains multiple search terms.
- To connect various pieces of information to find exactly what you're looking for.
- Example:
the odyssey (title) AND Homer (author) AND Penelope (subject)
Using AND
Use AND in a search to:
- narrow your results
- tell the database that ALL search terms must be present in the resulting records
- example: cloning AND humans AND ethics
The darker football shape in the middle of the Venn diagram represents the result set for this search. It is a small set using AND, the combination of both search terms.
- You can search using phrases to make your results more specific.
- For example: "college students" AND "test anxiety". This way, the phrases show up in the results as you expect them to be.
Using OR
Use OR in a search to:
- connect two or more similar concepts (synonyms)
- broaden your results, telling the database that ANY of your search terms can be present in the resulting records
- example: cloning OR genetics OR reproduction
These two circles combine to represent the result set for this search. It is a big set because either of the terms are valid using the OR operator.
Using NOT
Use NOT in a search to:
- exclude words from your search
- narrow your search, telling the database to ignore concepts that may be implied by your search terms
- example: cloning NOT sheep
Truncation
Truncation, also called stemming, is a technique that broadens your search to include various word endings and spellings.
- To use truncation, enter the root of a word and put the asterisk (*) at the end.
- The database will return results that include any ending of that root word.
- Examples:
- electric* = Electricity, Electrical
- music* = Musical, Musician, Musicality, Music's
- teen* = Teen, Teens, Teenager, Teenagers
Fields
Records in library databases are comprised of fields containing specific pieces of bibliographic information. Common fields include:
- author
- title
- journal title
- abstract
- publisher
- date/year of publication
- subject/descriptor
- Limiting your search to specific database fields can yield more precise results.
- For instance, if you are looking for books by Homer instead of about him, it is more efficient to limit your search to the author field.
- To find various fields within a database, look for drop down boxes or menus to select the field you want to search.
- Then combine words and fields together with boolean operators, depending on how precise you want to be.
Working with Subject Headings
Subject headings describe the content of each item in a database. Use these headings to find relevant items on the same topic. Searching by subject headings (a.k.a. descriptors) is the most precise way to search article databases.
It is not easy to guess which subject headings are used in a given database. For example, the phone book's Yellow Pages use subject headings. If you look for "Movie Theatres" you will find nothing, as they are listed under the subject heading "Theatres - Movies."
You can often find Subject headings in the body of an article or text. If searching the Library database, these subjects are usually a hyperlink that will take you to additional resources with the same subject.
Cited References/Bibliography
Scholarly articles often have extensive bibliographies, also called reference lists or works cited. Bibliographies include references to articles books, and other relevant literature that were published before the article. Some databases provide links to the cited references so you can look at those articles as well which might provide you with more articles for your research.
Cited articles can help you find additional resources.
Ask A Librarian
We a can help you learn how to use the library's online resources to get started with your research, locate books, or answer other general questions. Contact a librarian by
email: library@corning-cc.edu
phone: 607-962-9251
or schedule an appointment.