Search Techniques
Connectors, or Boolean Operators, are words that combine concepts together in a search. These operators allow you to keep your search narrow ("AND"); keep your search broad ("OR"); or exclude words from your search ("NOT").
EXAMPLES:
- Oprah Winfrey AND leadership= This will give you results that includes both Oprah Winfrey and leadership.
- Oprah Winfrey OR leadership=This will give you results that includes all the words.
- Oprah Winfrey AND leadership NOT biography=This will give you results that include Oprah Winfrey and leadership but excludes biography.
Quotations can be especially useful if you are searching for a phrase. This can also be useful if you are searching an exact match for a title of an article or book. If you don't use quotations the system (internet or library database) will look for each word individually.
EXAMPLES:
- "oprah winfrey" (phrase search)
- "A new era: Women and leadership" (Title of an article)
This technique is using the root or stem of a word and the search will bring back a variety of endings to the word.
EXAMPLES:
rac*= race, races, racism, racial, racialized
educat*=educate, education, educated, educating
sustain*=sustain, sustains, sustainable, sustainability
What is truncation?
Truncation is a search technique where a search term is shortened or truncated so it can be matched with other terms with the same stem or root. Letters can be removed from the beginning or end of the word. The truncation usually comes at the end of the word.
Source: Keenan, S., and Colin J. (2000). Concise Dictionary of Library and Information Science, Walter de Gruyter GmbH. Available from as an eBook from Copley Library.
Have a question about Library terms?
Glossary of Library Terms from the University of Southern California
This Glossary of Library Terms was developed by Christal Young*, Librarian For American Studies & Ethnicity and Library Science, at the University of Southern California to provide library users with resources and definitions commonly used in the library. I highly recommend it.
*Permission granted by the author to link to this resource.
