Online Library Resources
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This document provides an overview of Boolean operators and complex Boolean searching. It discusses how Boolean operators like AND, OR, and NOT can narrow or broaden search results. It also demonstrates how to search for multiple terms using nesting and Boolean operators together to retrieve the most relevant results. The document notes that complex searches are best constructed by grouping related terms with OR and separating unrelated terms with AND. It includes examples of searches using these techniques.
Online Library Resources
- 2. Boolean Connectors Refresher Operator Search Results (“Hits”) And Narrows the set Or Broadens the set Not Eliminates records
- 3. Boolean Searching (simple) • Imagine that you are looking for more information about deforestation in Africa. Which of the following searches will bring back the most relevant set of results? • No problems! The majority of you chose to search for Africa AND deforestation to find the most relevant results for information about deforestation in Africa.
- 4. Boolean Searching (more complex) • Searching for two terms using Boolean operators is fairly straightforward. • However, If you want to search for more than two terms, you need to group your related terms together (e.g., bats OR birds), which is referred to as “nesting”. Yes, “nesting” is applicable even when the question isn’t about birds.
- 5. Boolean Searching (complex) If you performed this type search You would receive these results (shaded in gray area)
- 6. Boolean Searching (complex) • In the preceding search you would receive a fairly small set of results (25), the Boolean operators retrieve only articles that have all three terms (in every article). By using AND between each term, you are unnecessarily narrowing your results to articles that have all three terms.
- 7. Boolean Searching (complex) If you performed this type search You would receive these results
- 8. Boolean Searching (complex) In the preceeding search you will retrieve a larger set of results (125) that find ALL of the results about wind turbines and bats as well as ALL of the results about wind turbines and birds. A basic rule of thumb for complex searches is to group related terms with OR and unlike terms with AND.
- 9. Searching for Journal Titles Searching for the journal Audubon – almost half of you responded that “Audubon” isn’t available at Geisler Library However, if you enter the title “Audubon” in the Geisler Journal List, you will see the following (next slide)
- 10. Searching for Journal Titles Audubon is available from 1961 to present in the library (print holdings) Issues previous to 1961 are also available (it previously had the title Audubon Magazine)
- 11. Catalog, Databases, and Journals Academic Search Premier and databases have many full text articles, but some titles such as “Audubon” you would have to come to the library to check out or photocopy/scan an article To check what coverage the library has of any scholarly journal, popular magazine, or newspaper just enter the title on the Geisler Journal List.
- 12. Library FAQs • Checkout periods – Books: 3 weeks – Movies: 1 day – More information at http://guides.central.edu/policies • Renewals – 2 times (if a hold hasn’t been placed on item) • Holds – Can place holds on items which are check out