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Advanced Search Strategies

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8 views

Advanced Search Strategies

Uploaded by

audreyguitartutor
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Advanced Search Strategies

Using a database or catalog to find material is straightforward. All you need to do is combine
Boolean Operators with key terms to create a search string. Below are examples of how to do this.

Example Search String


children AND ( e-learning OR computers ) NOT television

key key key key


term Boolean term Boolean term Boolean term
Operator Operator Operator

Boolean Operators can expand results or limit them. They must be all caps to work correctly.

AND OR

children e-learning e-learning computers

AND limits your results to only OR expands your results to any


material that use both material that use either
children AND e-learning e-learning OR computers
NOT

computers television

NOT eliminates very powerfully. It


is used the least often because it is
almost too powerful, especially in
full-text searching databases.
Example Search String
elect* AND California AND ( solar* OR sustainability OR environment )

asterisk
asterisk
Parentheses

The asterisk * captures all various endings for the root. For example, when you add an asterisk
to the end of "elect" like elect* you are capturing: elect, elects, elected, election, electoral

The ( parentheses ) should be used to contain all of the synonyms. You can add as many
synonyms as needed, just make sure to put the upper case OR in between the words.

Example Search String


wom?n AND ( office OR " work place " OR occupation ) AND discrimin*

quotation
question
marks
mark

The question mark ? is used for one letter differences in a word, like women or woman

The " quotation marks " are for phrases larger than one word, it indicates the order you have
put the words in matters.

Choosing key terms can be difficult if you are new to a topic. There are many ways to
brainstorm key terms, but the following thought exercise is highly recommended.

I am researching ___________________ because I want to find out what/ why/ how _______________

(usually the assignment / research question)


to better understand ___________________________________________.

choose 1 to help map this


statement to a thesis
statement later.
Your search string may look different depending on what tool you are using for research.

CLIO, our Columbia University Libraries Catalog, has a simple search bar. Add Boolean Operators.

ProQuest, an interdisciplinary database, has boxes for Boolean Operators in advanced search.

Don't forget you can find database recommendations in research guides for each disciplines:
https://library.columbia.edu/services/subject-guides.html

EBSCO, an interdisciplinary database, has boxes for the Boolean Operators built in.

Meet with a librarian to go over search strings & tool selection in a research consultation:
https://library.columbia.edu/research/reference-forms/consultation.html

JSTOR, a humanities focused database, has a simple search bar. Add Boolean Operators all caps.

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