Boolean Operators are specific words that are used to connect search terms and refine search results in databases and search engines. Boolean Operators are distinguished by using all CAPITAL LETTERS. The Boolean Operators most commonly used in searching SCOUT and library databases are:
AND
- Function: Narrows your search by requiring BOTH terms to appear in results
- Example: climate change AND agriculture
- Results: Only sources containing both "climate change" and "agriculture"
- Visual: Think of overlapping circles in a Venn diagram - you get only what's in the middle
OR
- Function: Broadens your search by accepting EITHER term in results
- Example: college OR university
- Results: Sources containing either "college" or "university" or both
- Visual: Think of combining two circles in a Venn diagram - you get everything in both circles
NOT
- Function: Narrows your search by excluding specific terms
- Example: dolphins NOT football
- Results: Sources about the animal dolphins, excluding results about the Miami Dolphins team
- Visual: Think of removing one circle from another in a Venn diagram
There are three additional Boolean Operators that may be useful in your searching:
Asterisk (*): The asterisk works like a wildcard that stands in for multiple letters, so searching "teach*" would find "teacher," "teaching," and "teaches" all at once.
Quotation Marks (" "): Quotation marks tell the database to find those exact words in that exact order, like searching for "social media" will only find those words together, not separately.
Parentheses ( ): Parentheses group search terms together to control which operations happen first, just like in math problems, helping you create more organized complex searches.
The interactive graphic below demonstrates how Boolean Operators can expand and narrow your searches.
