BOOLEAN SEARCH

Title of Topics : Boolean Searching
: Boolean Logic: The key to electronic Searching
: How to Run a Boolean Search

Publishers : UK Official Publications
: Pierce College Libraries
: Career Builder

URL : http://www.fuzeqna.com/careerbuildersca/consumer/kbdetail.
asp?kbid=300
: http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/library/quicktips/boolean.pdf
: http://www.ukop.co.uk/help_boolean_searc_aspx


Abstract:


Boolean operators are name after George Boole, an Englishman who invented it in mid 1800. It is a way of searching electronic databases that allows you to indicate relationships between search terms by using AND, OR, and NOT.

The topics showed that the AND operator limits searches by telling the computer to find items about two or more distinct concepts, the OR operator expands searches by telling the computer to find items that include any of the search terms, and the NOT operator restricts searches by telling the computer to reject items that include certain terms.


Three things I learned from my reading assignments:

1. I learned other options of Boolean operators like symbols & for AND,
for OR, and ^ for NOT.
2. Other operators like BETWEEN, WITHIN, ADJ, for AND ; ( ) for OR; and BUT for NOT
3. Truncation symbols (?) (*) (**) for speed typing, and simple and advance Boolean search.


Implications on me and my work:

I used Boolean operators in my searches, but I found out that some doctors are still dissatisfied with the outputs. From that experience I thought of another strategy on how to come up with what they really wanted. I started analyzing the topics of their research and if it’s too general, ask the limitations of the research topic, a little information about there patients whether it is a male or female, young or adult, and the procedures he is going to do. From that time on searching and retrieving using Boolean operators went on smoothly.