Emma 102: Internet Search Engines and Academic Research

Guide to Boolean & Phrase Searching...continued

OR

• means "I want documents that contain either word; results can have any or all of the words."
• broadens a search and makes it less focused
• use OR to link synonyms of a keyword or concept: (car  OR  automobile  OR vehicle)  
• surround OR statements with parentheses for best results

NOT

• also AND NOT
• means "I want documents about dolphins, but not about the Miami Dolphins football team."
• narrows a search by excluding undesired terms or concepts
• use when key term has multiple meanings (Saturn car NOT planet)

WARNING! Be careful when you use NOT: the term you do want may be present in an important way in documents that also contain the word you wish to avoid.

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