Research Basics: Using Boolean Operators to Build a Search
Description
Using Boolean Operators for Literature Searches: Boolean operators are essential tools for refining literature searches, consisting of three main types: AND, OR, and NOT. AND narrows searches by requiring both terms to appear in results, while OR broadens searches to include any of the specified terms, which is useful for capturing related concepts. NOT excludes specific terms from the results, but should be used cautiously as it can inadvertently remove relevant articles. Understanding how to effectively combine these operators can significantly enhance search precision and relevance, making the research process more efficient.