#Google boolean search operators how to#

It is best to put quotes around multiple words to keep them together, so that the database knows they are one key phrase instead of two separate keywords that mean something different when they are searched separately (mental and health are not the same things as 'mental health' as a united concept. Keywords: dogs AND ' mental health' AND ' college students' Main Points: How might dogs (cause) influence the mental health (effect) of college students (persons)? Question: How can dogs improve the mental health of college students? Once you have a simple but good question, you can easily pull your starting keywords from it. The main elements in your research question (such as the 3 elements: person(s)/place/ thing, cause, and effect) are examples of keywords with specific roles in your research question. Adjectives and adverbs won't be helpful as keywords because they are only embellishing the nouns or verbs and should probably not be used at all. Verbs tend to be less useful, and should only be used sparingly. Typically nouns make the best keywords because they are the subjects of your topic. They describe your topic in just a few words. Keywords are essentially the main points or concepts of your topic or research question. Rather than the natural language we are used to, where you would put your research question directly into the Google search bar, library databases use keywords and logic to search database content. Databases will search exactly what you enter, no more, no less. Searching a Library Database is more like online shopping than searching Google, because databases are extremely literal. Narrow it down by adding size, brand, color, or style When searching for those shoes on the store’s website, you might put in “running shoes,” possibly adding your size, favorite brand, or even color. You might search reviews for the best running shoes first, or you might just go to the website of your favorite shoe store. Would you type in a whole sentence, or just put in the words that describe the item?įor example, If you were looking for a pair of running shoes, where would you look for them? What words would you use to narrow the search? Think of what words you would search for if you were buying a pair of shoes. Most basic search engines work better with keywords, such as when you are shopping online.

Keywords summarize your topic without using a lot of words.

#Google boolean search operators how to#

How to Critically Read Academic Articles.'Search the Library' through the EBSCO Discovery Service.Intro to Information Literacy Toggle Dropdown

Want more definitions? See our complete library of HR Terms.

If you want to gain a thorough understanding of X-Ray search techniques to craft your own Boolean search strings, read our tutorial on Boolean search for recruitersĪlso, visit our library of Boolean search cheatsheets. Search for an exact phrase (Consider keywords in quotation marks as a whole word) Group multiple search strings and set priorities Results include either keyword or all of themĮxcludes a keyword from your search (Mention without a space before the unwanted term) Results include all keywords linked with AND To better understand the basic Boolean commands and symbols and build your own Google search string, see the table below:

With the inclusion of the minus sign, you exclude sample resumes and job ads which will give you irrelevant results. This search string detects all the resume or CV files (intitle:resume OR intitle:CV) that contain the word ‘physical therapist’ and mention a degree in kinesiology. (intitle:resume OR intitle:cv) “physical therapist” kinesiology (bachelor OR master OR degree) -job -jobs -sample -examples Here is a command example searching for a physical therapist with a degree in kinesiology: The Google search string should have all the essential keywords and symbols that’ll bring you accurate results. What is a search string example on Google?

Academic degree and other certifications.

Employees who work or have worked in a specific company.

Examples of information you can find using the Google X-Ray search By putting together specific words and phrases, you can narrow down your search to a limited number of results and spot candidates with the preferable qualifications and skills. Google X-Ray is popular in recruitment, with Boolean search being a powerful tool for effective candidate sourcing. Google Boolean strings are commands that help you come up with targeted results by applying the so-called Boolean operators, for example AND, OR, and NOT (see the Table below).

What is a search string example on Google?.

Examples of information you can find using the Google X-Ray search.