Searching is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
You can use these basic search techniques with almost any search interface -- from library catalogs, to search engines, to library databases!
Note: Your keywords should come directly from your research question. Go back to step 1 if needed, before you start searching.
1. AND OR, and NOT (Boolean Operators)
Boolean Operators are also sometimes called Logical Operators and they perform specific functions to your search. Not all databases require the use of AND and OR in capital letters, but we recommend that you use them in all caps as a habit.
AND narrows your search
Use AND in between different concepts to ensure these different concepts appear together in your search results. The Venn diagram to the right represents the idea of the search results occurring ONLY in the narrow place where the two concepts overlap.
- EXAMPLE: Students AND Athletes. This search would include results about "student athletes"
OR broadens your search
If you're not sure what is the best keyword to use, you can include multiple keywords connected with OR to search them all. OR means that at least one of these keywords will show up in your search. The graphic to the right implies that any of these concepts (or all of them) can be included in your search results.
- EXAMPLE: Undergraduates OR "College Students" OR "University Students". A search for these keywords would include results that have AT LEAST ONE of them.
NOT
The NOT operator will exclude something from your search.
- EXAMPLE: Bobcats NOT Tractors. This would exclude results about Bobcat tractor equipment from your search about felines.
- EXAMPLE: California NOT "Baja California". This would exclude results that include information about the state of Baja California in Mexico.
Using AND, OR, and NOT in a Search
Depending on the database, you may have a single search box or you may have an advanced search screen with multiple boxes. You can use the logical operators AND, OR, and NOT in either situation. In a single box, you can use parentheses () to isolate your terms, but if you have multiple boxes, you do not need to use parentheses.
Here is an example of a search in each scenario using either parentheses or individual boxes to isolate the similar concepts like cow, cattle, and livestock.
Single Search Box

Multiple Search Boxes (called the "Advanced Search" screen in most databases)

These searches using AND and OR regardless of whether you use a single box with () or multiple boxes, should produce the same results in this database. Follow this permalink to see search results in Academic Search Complete for: students AND athletes AND (NCAA OR "college sports" OR "collegiate sports").
2. Phrase Searching
Put quotation marks around a known phrase to search for an exact match. Be careful to only use quotation marks around a known phrase so that you don't accidentally miss relevant results.
- EXAMPLE: "National Collegiate Athletics Association". A search will return results that include this specific phrase.
3. Truncation / Wildcard
Use the wildcard symbol, an asterisk (*) to find variations of the same root word.
- EXAMPLE: Venez* will find Venezuela, Venezuelan, Venezolana, Venezolano, etc.
- EXAMPLE: Comput* will find Computer, Computers, Computation, Computational, etc.