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Searching in the Databases

This guide provides a brief overview of common search techniques that you can apply to dasebases, catalogs and search engines to retrieve better results.

Using Boolean Operators

What are Boolean operators?

The 3 Basic Boolean operators are AND, OR, and NOT.

Boolean operators are connectors that you can place between your keywords when you perform a search. They connect your search terms together to either narrow or broaden your set of results.

Why use Boolean operators?

Using Boolean operators is the most efficient way to focus your search when a topic contains multiple search terms. Complete sentences are not good searches. When searching a database, Boolean operators make it easier for the database to process the information in the search and give you exactly what you are looking for.

Use AND to:

  • narrow your search results
  • tell the database that you want ALL your search terms to appear in the results
  • AND is usually the default operator when you search without putting any boolean operator between your search terms

Example: ocean AND sea

                                                                    Search using the Boolean and                          

Use OR to:

  • broaden your search results
  • tell the database that ANY of your search terms can be present in the results
  • connect two or more similar concepts (synonyms)

Example: ocean OR sea

                                                      Search using the Boolean or

Use NOT:

  • to limit your search results
  • when you want to exclude terms from your search

Example: ocean NOT sea

                                                        Search using the Boolean not

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APA: Northern Essex Community College Library. (Date updated). Title of page. Title of LibGuide. URL

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