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The Research Process

Boolean Operators

Databases, like those the Boreham Library provides access to and general search databases like Google, use Boolean Operators to combine words in the database search. Boolean Operators use the words AND, OR, NOT to combine or exclude keywords in order to broaden or narrow searches.

Illustration shows a Venn diagram with Arkansas in the left circle, Oklahoma in the right circle. The middle overlap is shaded and labeled "AND,” illustrating how only the middle overlap would return in a search result.

AND will narrow your search results by combing the terms, providing results that include both words.

Illustration shows a Venn diagram with Arkansas in the left circle, Oklahoma in the right circle. The full diagram is shaded with the overlap labeled "OR,” illustrating that a search would results in returns for either word.

OR will broaden your search results to those that include either key word.

Illustration shows a Venn diagram with Arkansas in the left circle, Oklahoma in the right circle. The circles do not overlap, the Arkansas circle is shaded, and the space between them is labeled “NOT,” illustrating how the search would return results that only include Arkansas.

NOT will narrow your search results to those that only include the first key word.