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Research Process: What is Boolean Searching?

Guidelines for a successful research experience. Adapted from the Copley Library Guide, http://cbury.libguides.com/research.

Overview

Getting Started

AND, OR  & NOT are all words that link concepts together to improve searches when using search engines such as Google or databases such as EbscoHost.  These terms are associated with Irish mathematician George Boole, thus the term Boolean logic or Boolean searching.  

To visualize how these terms work together to organize a search take a look at the Boolean Machine by Rockwell Schrock.

Boolean Search

Using Boolean terms will help you narrow or broaden your searches.

Online Research : Tips for Effective Search Strategies