Skip to main content
Ysearch

Strategic Searching WRTG 316

Why Boolean operators?

Boolean operators are words (AND, OR, NOT) that you can use to combine or exclude keywords from searching. These are used specifically for searching in databases, which require more precise language than a typical Google search.

Boolean operators can help you:

  • Focus your results so you don’t waste time scrolling through irrelevant articles
  • Control your search more precisely
  • Identify distinct concepts in your research questions
Tip
Always put Boolean operators in ALL CAPS—some databases won't recognize them otherwise.

Drawn image of George Boole with text reading: I'm George Boole. Back in the 1800s, I invented a way to treat logic like math. That idea grew into something called Boolean algebra. Now, I'm basically your search assistant, helping you get more relevant results when you use symbols like AND, OR, and NOT.

How do Boolean operators work?

Take the quiz below to review how Boolean operators work in a library database:

How do Boolean modifiers work?

Complete the drag-and-drop activity below to review how Boolean modifiers function:

Strategic Searching: Think Like a Database

Library databases don't always "read" your search the way that Google does. The keywords you use, and how you search them, matter. Google uses natural language processing, but databases use keyword searching.

Tip
With recent advances in AI, some databases now support natural language searching, which means you can type queries into the search bar the way you’d type them into Google. Try using long phrases or full questions, and mix in key terms to keep your search focused and precise.

For example, if the database offers natural language searching, try searching "What are recent policies about self-driving cars?" instead of "policy AND self-driving cars."

Go through the following steps to best search databases:

  • To effectively search databases, starting with keyword planning. Looking at your topic, brainstorm lists of keywords by category. Start broad, and then narrow terms as you list them. Include synonyms and related terms in your list—these can get added to your search as well.

    Image of three cars, each car getting progressively more advanced. The title says "Keyword Search Progression." Under the first car, it says "Self-driving cars," under the second car it says "(Self-driving cars) AND (Policies)," and under the last car it says "(Self-driving cars OR Autonomous Vehicles) AND (Policy or Policies) AND (AI or Artificial Intelligence)."

  • Let's look at an example using self-driving cars, searching this topic from four disciplines. You can approach this topic from many disciplines, and different disciplines can lead to different ways of searching the topic. For example, look at this list of disciplines and potential topics related to self-driving cars:

    Cartoon of four people from different disciplines with descriptions underneath. The leftmost is a girl with a laptop and the description says, "Computer Science: AI, software." The next is a man holding a wrench with the description, "Mechanical Engineer: braking, dynamics." The third is a girl in a lab coat holding a beaker with the description, "Chemical Engineer: fuel, batter." The last person is a man with a construction vest and helmet with the description, "Civil Engineer: traffic, roads."

    • Using the same keywords in multiple databases can produce different results. Multiple database options exist because they are designed to focus on specific subjects, offering more targeted and relevant results. There's only one Google because it searches a broad range of publicly available web content, providing general results for many users.

      For example, for the self-driving cars topic, you could search Scopus (research in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), or ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers Research Library), depending on the discipline from which you choose to approach the topic. You may get different sources based on the focus of the database.

    • You may need to try several different searches before you find relevant articles. Once you identify keywords that work well, try combining different parts of those searches to improve your results. When you come across a particularly useful article, take note of its keywords and update your keyword list (from Step 1) with some of them to refine your future searches. Avoid getting too focused on a single topic or stuck on one search strategy if you're not finding useful results. Instead, try using different keywords or exploring other databases if your initial approach isn’t effective.

    Databases vs. Google vs. Google Scholar

    There are several key differences between the information you can find in databases, Google, and Google Scholar. The table below discusses some of the main differences:

    FeatureDatabaseGoogleGoogle Scholar
    Content TypePeer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, reviews, book chaptersWebsites, blogs, news, videos, images, forums, etc.Mix of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources: Academic articles, theses, books, preprints
    Search PrecisionHigh search precision – supports Boolean operators, field-specific searching, and various filtersLow search precision – basic keywords, limited filteringModerate search precision – supports Boolean operators and a few filters
    Source QualityPrimarily scholarly, peer-reviewed, and curatedMixed – can include unreliable sources and non-academic sourcesMixed – can include peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed academic sources
    Citation MetricsDetailed citation counts, journal impactNoneBasic citation counts and links to articles that have cited the source
    Access to Full TextOften requires BYU institutional access (login to the library website)Usually links to free content, but does not provide access to paid scholarly content. Can sometimes link to BYU Library holdings.Can link to paywalled or free content, some PDFs. Can sometimes link to BYU Library holdings.
    Advanced Search FeaturesYes – many advanced search featuresNo – very limited advanced searchSome – filter by author, date, and basic publication type
    Exporting CitationsYes – can export to RefWorks, EndNote, etc.NoYes – basic format citations and RefWorks, EndNote, and BibTeX, but Google Scholar often provides unreliable citations, so be sure to check them
    Best Used ForIn-depth academic research in science, engineering, medicine, etc.General background information or broad topic explorationQuick access to academic papers, especially when full text is freely available
    AI FeaturesSome databases use AI to refine searches and summarize articles, or to help with natural language searchingUses Gemini AI for AI OverviewsScholar Labs uses AI to analyze research questions, prompt relevant papers, and explain how each paper contributes to the question searched

    A note about searching in the Library website

    It's best to search right in a database rather than the main library page (lib.byu.edu) because you'll get more access to articles and sources in a database.

    Note that if you search in the main search bar on the library's website, you'll see two options to search:

    1. In the Library - generally, physical library holdings will appear in this list. However, if the library has both a physical book and an e-book of the same book, the e-book may sometimes appear in this list.
    2. Available Online - the library's online holdings will appear in this list.
    • Searching the Library Website