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Boolean operators
If you enter a string of words, they will be searched as individual words joined by the invisible operator "and", each item in your results list will contain both your search terms. This can reduce your search results. You can also manually input AND (or the character & ).
If you combine words using OR (or the character ¦ ), each item in your results list will contain at least one of your search terms. This will increase your search results.
To exclude words from your search, you must use AND NOT (or the characters & !). Each item in your results list will contain only the first of the search terms. This can reduce your search results. Be careful using this operator as you can exclude material that could be useful to you.
You can combine operators, but you must bracket the terms relevant to each operator. See the examples.
You can also use brackets to link groups of words. If you want to use the operators as search terms, enclose them in double quotes.
Examples
- child* youth OR child* and youth OR child* & youth
- (child* and youth) and not babies OR USE (child* & youth) & ! babies
- alaska and bears OR USE alaska & bears
- kangaroo* and not wallab* OR USE kangaroo* & ! wallab*
- handicapped or disabled OR USE handicapped ¦ disabled
- (college* or universit*) and (teach* and not learn*) OR USE (college* ¦ universit*) & (teach* & ! learn*)
- (girls or boys or child*) and (Australia* or Africa*) OR USE (girls ¦ boys ¦ child*) & (Australia* ¦ Africa*)
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