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What to look for
Boolean operators form the basis of mathematical sets and database logic.
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They connect your search words together to either narrow or broaden your set of results.
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The three basic boolean operators are: AND, OR, and NOT.
Why use Boolean operators?
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To focus a search, particularly when your topic contains multiple search terms.
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To connect various pieces of information to find exactly what you're looking for.
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Example:
second creation (title) AND wilmut and campbell (author) AND 2000 (year)
Search order
Databases follow commands you type in and return results based on those commands. Be aware of the logical order in which words are connected when using Boolean operators:
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Databases usually recognize AND as the primary operator, and will connect concepts with AND together first.
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If you use a combination of AND and OR operators in a search, enclose the words to be "ORed" together in parentheses.
Examples:
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ethics AND (cloning OR reproductive techniques)
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(ethic* OR moral*) AND (bioengineering OR cloning)
