• Boolean Operators help you craft more effective searches through the combination of multiple terms or concepts
  
• Using Boolean Operators effectively can help produce more accurate and well-defined search results
  
• Boolean Operators help save time and effort by filtering out unneeded results
  
• There are three main Boolean Operators:

  1. AND
  2. OR
  3. NOT
• It is important to note that the exact Boolean terms used by different databases may vary (for example some use "and not" for "not") while some databases use additional Boolean operators (such as "next" or "near").

AND:
Combines two (or more) concepts only retrieving information that contains both concepts.

For example:
Find information about heart disease (A) AND smoking (B).

OR:
Combines two (or more) concepts or terms retrieving information containing either concept, whether mentioned separately or in tandem.

For Example:

Find information on smoking (A) OR heart disease (B).

NOT:

Used to eliminate key terms from closely associated concepts by limiting retrieved information containing one concept but not the other.

For Example:

Find information about heart disease (A) that does NOT mention smoking (B).

TRUNCATION

• Truncation symbols allow you to search for suffix variations of root terms or words.
• Specific truncation symbols will vary widely from database to database
• Most databases allow the use of two different truncation types:
  1. Unlimited
  2. Limited

UNLIMITED

Unlimited truncation symbols are used at the end of common root terms or words. They capture any spelling variations that occur from the symbol onward.
For example: To find variations of the root term NURSE you place the truncation symbol directly after the last common letter each variation would share. (Use of the dollar sign ($) is only for the purpose of this example; actual truncation symbols will vary from database to database.)

(move cursor over term to display results)

Using the truncation symbol in this example allows you to capture information with all three variations of the term, NURSE, NURSES and NURSING with a single search. It is important to note that this search might also bring up unwanted results, such as NURSERY. Using truncation symbols with common or too short terms can yield many unwanted results. (For example: searching CAT$ would retrieve CAT, CATS, CATATONIC, CATALOG etc.)

LIMITED

Some databases allow you to use a truncation symbol/number combination to specify the maximum number of characters that may follow the root word or phrase.
For example: To find variations within 2 characters of the root term NURSE you place the truncation symbol/number combination directly after the last common letter each variation would share. (Use of the dollar sign ($) is only for the purpose of this example; actual truncation symbols will vary from database to database.)

(move cursor over term to display results)

Using the truncation symbol/number combination in this example captures only those variations within two digits of the original or root term. Thus, you get NURSE and NURSES, but not NURSING.

• Wild card symbols allow you to search for spelling variations within the same or related terms.
• Specific wild card symbols will vary widely from database to database
• Many databases allow the use of two different truncation types:
  1. Mandated
  2. Optional

Mandated wild cards can be used either within or at the end of a query word to substitute for one required character. The mandated wild card requires that the symbol represent a character that is normally present.
For example: To find the singular and plural variations for WOMEN/WOMAN you would substitute the wild card symbol in place of the letter that varies. (Use of the pound sign (#) is only for the purpose of this example; actual wild card symbols will vary from database to database.)

(move cursor over term to display results)

Using the mandated wild card symbol in this example allows you to capture information with both the singular and plural variations WOMAN and WOMEN with a single search.

Optional wild cards can be used within a query term to substitute for either one or no characters. This wild card can be useful when looking for international spelling variations.
For example: To find the spelling variations for the term COLOR you would insert the wild card symbol where the spelling variations can occur. (Use of the question mark(?) is only for the purpose of this example; actual wild card symbols will vary from database to database.)

(move cursor over term to display results)

Using the optional wild card symbol in this example allows you to capture information for both spelling variations of the term COLOR/COLOUR with a single search.