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ENG 425 • American Literature I: Begin to 1845: Session 2 • Advanced Search

Library resources and information for Dr, Waterman's ENG 425 course.

Session 3 • Databases

Academic Search Complete & JSTOR

Session Search Topic: Frederick Douglass

Activity Topic Selections: (1) Challenges faced by 19th century American women authors; (2) connections between Cotton Mather and the Salem Witch Trials; (3) Phillis Wheatley’s role in the anti-slavery movement; and, (4) Frederick Douglass influence on contemporary studies.

Boolean Search Operators


EBSCO • Searching with Boolean Operators


The following examples and definitions of searching with Boolean logic are from EBSCO Connect (2022).

Boolean logic defines logical relationships between terms in a search. The Boolean search operators are and, or and not. You can use these operators to create a very broad or very narrow search.

  • And combines search terms so that each search result contains all of the terms. For example, travel and Europe finds articles that contain both travel and Europe.
  • Or combines search terms so that each search result contains at least one of the terms. For example, college or university finds results that contain either college or university.
  • Not excludes terms so that each search result does not contain any of the terms that follow it. For example, television not cable finds results that contain television but not cable.

EBSCO Information Services. (2023). Top 5 searching strategies handout. EBSCO Connect Promotional Materials. https://www.ebsco.com/sites/default/files/acquiadam-assets/Top-Five-Searching-Strategies-Handout.pdf

EBSCO top 5 search strategies boolean terms

Boolean Searching

What is it?  The use of Boolean search operators (AND, OR, NOT) to narrow or broaden a search

Definition:  "A system of logic developed by the English mathematician George Boole (1815-64) that allows the user to combine words or phrases representing significant concepts when searching" a catalog or database. Three operators are available: OR, AND, or NOT." - Online Dictionary for Library Science (2014).

Boolean Search Operators


JSTOR • Searching Boolean Operators


The following examples and dedefinitions of search with Boolean operators are from JSTOR Support: Boolean Operators (2022).

Boolean operators help search engines use logic to limit, narrow, or broaden your search results. Use advanced search, otherwise, Boolean operators must be typed in all capital letters.

  • AND is the default Boolean operator, and using it will narrow your search results by telling the search engine to return results that have BOTH/ALL search terms present.
  • OR will expand your search results by telling the search engine to return results that have EITHER/ANY of the search terms present.
  • NOT will narrow your search results by telling the search engine to exclude results that have a particular search term present. If you are seeing too many results that are not relevant, find a common pattern or theme in the results and exclude a term.

JSTOR. (2022). Searching: Boolean operators. JSTOR Support. https://support.jstor.org/hc/en-us/articles/115004733187-Searching-Boolean-Operators


JSTOR boolean search operators handout image

 

 

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