An essential skill to have, before you've even begun your research, is developing keywords, or search terms, based on your topic of choice. Watch the below video on Identifying Main Concepts to learn how to use this skill in practice!
Sometimes if you’re not getting the search results you desire, you need to switch up the keywords you’re using! Try searching using like-terms, it may be the case that a particular area of study prefers one term over the other when publishing in academic journals.
Example: Instead of the keyword "films," you might try the key phrase “motion pictures”
Former WCSU Librarian Joan M. Reitz, in her book ODLIS: Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science (2004), defines Boolean logic as a system that:
...allows the user to combine words or phrases representing significant concepts when searching an online catalog or bibliographic database by keywords.
In the Boolean system, there are three logical commands operators: AND, OR, and NOT. It usually doesn't matter if you enter the operators in lower case or upper case. Almost every database search system accepts the use of Boolean Logic.
The AND operator will search for item records in which all keywords used will appear, thus narrowing your search results. Items will only show up if BOTH keywords are present.
Example: libraries AND books
This search will only look for items in which the keywords libraries and books both appear.
The OR operator will search for item records in which EITHER or BOTH keywords are present, thus expanding your search.
Example: libraries OR books
This search will look for item records in which the keywords libraries only appear, books only appear, and in which libraries and books both appear.
The NOT operator is used to EXCLUDE keywords from searches, thus narrowing your search results.
Example: libraries NOT books
This search will look for item records in which the keyword libraries appear, but not the keyword books.
It is possible to search databases for phrases! Unlike the long-form phrases and questions you can type into Google, phrases usually consist of 2-3 keywords. In order to search a phrase in an academic database, you must place that phrase in quotation marks.
Example: “motion pictures”
This search will look for item records in which the keyword “motion” appears directly before the keyword “pictures” without any other words in-between.
Almost all modern academic databases will make use of “filters” that allow you to narrow or expand your search. These filters usually appear in a left-hand column after preforming your search or will appear within an "advanced search" function. You are often able to narrow your search by factors such as:
IMPORTANT! Whenever conducing an online search, unless looking for physical books in your library, make sure to always check the filter that says: Online Access. Otherwise, you may get results that you are not able to download or read online. If you come across an item like this, you can always try to request a copy of it though our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) system. Though our turnaround time on delivering ILL items is quick, it may take several days to get your requested item, always place ILL requests well before any project/paper deadlines just in case.
When two different Boolean commands are used in the same search statement, it is a good idea to include parentheses in the order in which they are to be searched for. Like a math equation, words enclosed in parentheses are searched first: The left phrase in parentheses is searched first; then, based upon those results, the second phrase in parentheses is searched.This technique is called nesting.
Nesting is often used to "mark off" separate concepts by grouping together synonyms or related terms connected with the Boolean Operator OR. Nesting also provides a clear visual structure useful in developing, analyzing and modifying your search.
Example: (osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease) and (pain--therapy or relief of pain)
In the above example, parentheses mark off Concept #1 (osteoarthritis) and Concept #2 (relief of pain). For Concept #1, degenerative joint disease is joined as a related concept/synonym with osteoarthritis, using the operator OR. For Concept #2, the heading "pain--therapy" is joined with the key phrase "relief of pain") using OR. For comprehensive searches, more terms can be added as necessary.
Other examples of nesting:
