Writing 10 (Haner): Search Strategies

A. Boolean Operators

OR is mORe (joins similar terms) 

• e.g. data OR information

AND is less (joins dissimilar terms)

• e.g. privacy AND technology

B. Quotation Marks

Use quotation marks to search for a phrase

• "socially assistive robots"
• "defense systems"
• "future worlds"
• "artificial intelligence"
• "health care aides"

C. Truncation

Use a symbol, the asterisk * is the most common, to look for variant endings of a word

• robot* will search for robot, robots, robotic, robotics, etc.

D. Combine search strategies

Combine search strategies for more efficient searching.

Example:

robot* OR "artificially intelligent being"

AND

debate OR controver*

Does this search use Boolean logic correctly?

Research Question: Does reducing calorie intake increase one's life span?

longevity OR "life extension"

AND

"calorie restriction"

Does this search use the search tips correctly?

Research Question: Should employers have the right to access genetic screening records of its employees?

"genetic screening"

AND

"workplace"

AND

employees