Week 5

Brainstorming for search terms

Search Strategies:

• Brainstorming for Search Terms 
• Selecting keyword 

Examples of subject headings are:

1. Library Subject Headings
2. Science Subject Headings
3. Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms

Boolean Operators

What is Boolean operators?

(named for George Boole, 1815-1864, a mathematician) - combining terms such as AND, OR, and NOT used in building a search statement or in putting several sets together

OR

• Broadens a search by linking two or more terms
• Ose the connector OR to retrieve items that may have EITHER term
• OR is used to combine synonyms or related terms
• Items represented by the shaded area are retrieved.

AND

• Narrows a search by linking two or more terms
• Use the connector AND to retrieve items that must have BOTH terms
• AND is used to combine different ideas or concepts
• Only items represented by the shaded area are retrieved.

NOT

• Narrows a search by excluding items containing a second search term
• Use the connector NOT to find items that have the first term but not the second
• In the example, all items with the term cats will be retrieved except those also containing the word dogs
• Only items represented by the shaded area are retrieved
• Use NOT with caution; you may exclude relevant items