ENG 125 AAY

Searching for sources can sometimes lead to frustration if you are overwhelmed with either too many, or, not enough results when searching in databases. This is when using Boolean operators can be helpful!

Use Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT to narrow or broaden your search results.

• Use AND to:
  • Narrow your results
  • Inform the database that all search terms must be present in search results
  • EX: rivers AND conservation
    • Now your search results will be narrowed to only include items which discuss both rivers and conservation!
• Use OR to:
  • Broaden your results by connecting two or more search terms
  • Inform the database that any of your search terms can be present in search results
  • EX: rivers OR conservation
    • Now your search results will be broadened to include any items which discuss rivers or conservation!
• Use NOT to:
  • Narrow your results by excluding specific search terms
  • Inform the database to omit items from your search results which discuss specific search terms
  • EX: rivers NOT conservation
    • Now your search results will be narrowed to exclude any items which discuss conservation in association with rivers!

Give it a try!

Boolean Operators Exercise

1. Raise your hand if you have a green shape

2. Keep your hand raised if you have a green triangle

3. Why is the 2nd group smaller than the 1st group?

4. Raise your hand if you have a circle

5. Raise your hand if you have a square

6. Why has the number increased?

7. Raise your hand if you have a triangle

8. Lower your hand if your triangle is not blue

9. What did the term NOT do to our group results in this scenario? Why?

Research Prep

• Open new Word document before you begin searching for sources
• Format this document properly for APA or MLA and create your References or Works Cited page
• For MLA:
  • Label the page Works Cited, centered at the top of the page (do not italicize, bold or put in quotation marks).
• For APA:
  • Label the page References in bold, centered at the top of the page (do not underline or use quotation marks).
• For both MLA & APA, double space and create a hanging indent for all citations.
  • Select Paragraph Settings on the Home Page
  • Select Hanging in the Special drop down box
  • Select Double in the Line Spacing drop down box
  • Select 0 pt. in the After drop down box under the Spacing heading
• Save time by copying and pasting citations using citation tools as you locate sources
• But, instead of simply pasting the citation into your doc, use the "merge formatting" option when pasting so that the citation will be properly formatted in your document
• To merge formatting, right-click in an area of the document where you want to paste and merge the text. Next, click on the "Merge Formatting" icon under the Paste Options section of the context menu