Boolean / Keyword Searching: operators – (AND, OR, NOT)  nesting, truncation

 - narrowing and broadening your database searches 

 

You are searching an Greenhouse database consisting of the 6 “documents” on the board

 

Your search statement is:

I’m looking for articles on the connection between global warming and CO2

 

Break Down of Terms

Global Warming  -greenhouse effect  -greenhouse effects  -what other terms?

CO2    -carbon dioxide    -atmosphere    -what other terms?

See example search string search in Academic search premier database - global warming AND CO2 

 

 

Doing the following searches and write down the number of “hit” each brings:

(Note: the asterisk (*) will be the truncation symbol

 

SEARCHES:

1. global warming =
   
    
2. greenhouse effect =
   
    
3. greenhouse effect* =
   
    
4. greenhouse effects  =
   
    
5. global warming OR greenhouse effect* =

 

6. global warming AND CO2 =
   
    
7. global warming AND (CO2 OR carbon dioxide) =
   
    
8. (global warming OR greenhouse effect*) AND (CO2 OR Carbon Dioxide) =
   
    
9. global warming AND greenhouse effect*  =
   
    
10. carbon dioxide AND greenhouse effect AND atmosphere
    
     
11. global warming NOT carbon dioxide

 

12. (global warming AND carbon dioxide) OR CO2 =

- Which of the above searches is the "best" search as it relates to the search statement?  Why?

- Which operators -  [AND , OR, NOT ] narrow the searches?

- Which operators -  [AND , OR, NOT ] broaden the searches?

- What is "wrong" with the search in # 12?

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