Boolean operators – the words “AND, OR, and NOT” – are tools you can use to narrow or broaden your search results when searching for articles in library databases.
The word AND links search terms to make your database search more specific, with fewer results. If you combine your search terms with the Boolean operator AND, you are telling the database to display articles with all your search terms, not just one or the other.
The Boolean operator OR allows you to search for a concept using synonyms. Using the word OR broadens your search and delivers more results, because you are directing the database to return results with either of your search terms.
Use the Boolean operator NOT to eliminate specific words or terms from your results. The word NOT limits your search, and delivers fewer results from your database search.
A controlled vocabulary is a pre-approved list of standardized words and phrases used to tag and organize information, ensuring consistency and making it easier to find. Unlike searching with free-text keywords, it uses terms like subject headings, descriptors, or thesaurus terms, which are created by indexers to consistently describe content across a database or system.
This video demonstrates how to use filters in databases to get better results, including how to limit to scholarly or academic journal articles. The video also shows how to use a variety of database features to manage results including e-mailing yourself articles and how to get an APA or MLA citation for an article.