BOOLEAN LOGIC APPLIED TO ONLINE SEARCHING By Miss T. © Janet Tillman/The Master’s College, 2004, 2007, 2009, permission is granted for non-profit educational use; any reproduction or modification should include this statement.

Venn Diagram Set A Set B

Boolean Algebra Algebra x and y = numerical values Boolean algebra x and y = classes of objects Science of Logic based on Mathematics Boolean Logic: any variable that can have a logical value of true or false; works with logical rather than numeric relationships Boolean Logic is crucial to the development of twentieth century computer programming

Intersection of Set A and Set B Set A Set B U = INTERSECTION U AB

Set B A U B Set A Union of Set A with Set B U= UNION

Set A Set B A U B UNION INTERSECTION ? Set A Set B U A B

BOOLEAN OPERATORS AND OR NOT Set B Set A

BOOLEAN OPERATORS AND - Narrows the search - Can be thought of as BOTH - Requires that both terms be in the results - Used for combining differing concepts Messiah AND Christ the INTERSECTION of two sets -Sometimes referred to as “All of these”

BOOLEAN OPERATORS OR - Broadens the search - Used to find one term OR another - Can be thought of as EITHER - Used to search synonymous/closely related terms Messiah OR Christ the UNION of two sets -Sometimes referred to as “Any of these”

BOOLEAN OPERATORS NOT -Narrows a search -Used to eliminate records -Exercise extreme caution; needed concepts may be eliminated unintentionally Messiah Messiah NOT Christ Christ Messiah

BOOLEAN APPLIED

a U b c U a b c

U a b c

Messiah OR Christ AND JesusMessiah OR (Christ AND Jesus) a b c MessiahChrist Jesus

Messiah OR Christ AND Jesus Messiah Christ Jesus ()

MessiahChrist Jesus (Messiah OR Christ) AND Jesus

Messiah OR Christ OR Jesus Messiah AND Christ AND Jesus Messiah OR Christ AND Jesus

Messiah OR Christ OR Jesus MessiahChrist Jesus

MessiahChrist Jesus Messiah AND Christ AND Jesus

MessiahChrist Jesus (Messiah OR Christ) AND Jesus

Basic or Advanced Search engines have a Basic and Advanced search mode Command searching is generally performed in the Basic search mode –Commands used vary with each search engine Library catalog (next slide) –One free text search box –One field selection Advanced Search –Drop down menus “all of these” “any of these” –Multiple free-text search boxes. –Multiple field selections

Command Search in Basic

Advanced Search

Command Search in Basic

Advanced: Command Search

Advanced Search: Multiple fields

LOGICAL OPERATORS – “AND” Limiting Operators -Phrases -Field -Date -Type of Document -Language -Proximity

LIMITING OPERATORS PROXIMITY: NEAR or WITHIN –a restrictive AND –Designates the closeness of terms within a source document –Designates the number of words by which search terms can be separated –Particularly useful when concepts are closely linked but a phrase is too narrow

w/n: within the same document where n = the maximum number of words that can come between them Jesus w/1 Messiah LIMITING OPERATORS PROXIMITY: NEAR or WITHIN w/s: within same sentence w/p: within same paragraph Pre/n before term where n=designated number Jesus the Messiah Jesus pre/1 Messiah Jesus w/s Messiah Jesus w/p Messiah

LOGICAL OPERATORS – “OR” –Means “to cut off” –Very useful command for expanding a search concept –T–T–T–Typical symbols used * ! ? –P–P–P–Plurals –V–V–V–Variant Endings: ed, es, ing banks, banking, bankruptcy –V–V–V–Variant Spelling: women/woman color/colour encyclopedia/encyclopaedia judgment/judgement Truncation/Wildcard

LOGICAL OPERATORS – “OR” –Related terms –Expanders –Suggested Topics Synonyms –ON/OFF toggle –Preprogrammed list of terms Work, employment, job, vocationWork, employment, job, vocation –Not exhaustive

Key to online searching : Devise a search query that makes conscious use of Boolean operations to retrieve the desired set of records while eliminating extraneous records.

Critical Thinking Applied to Online Searching Select appropriate database or indexing tool –Subject Specific: ATLAReligion, ERIC, Business Source, Health Source, etc. –Interdisciplinary: Academic Search, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center, Proquest Research Library, Periodical Abstracts, etc. Select appropriate terminology –What is unique in one database may be common in another Get to know the database’s –Defaults –Features –Limiting options

bill w/3 clinton or george w/3 bush Here’s how one database will resolve this search: clinton or george bill within three or fewer words of clinton or george bush within three or fewer words of clinton or george that is also within three or fewer words of bill However, with the use of parentheses you can force the names to stay together as one search concept. For this example, you would enter: ( bill w/3 clinton ) or ( george w/3 bush)

Summing up Select appropriate research tools Design appropriate search query utilizing available logical operators Evaluate results and revise search if necessary

View this Tutorial Library Web site  Research Guides & Tutorials  Tutorials  Boolean Logic

Questions? See Miss T. –1-10 Mon-Thu; 10-7 Fri Call Miss T. – ext Miss T.

LIMITING OPERATORS Language -English -French -Chagatai Date -Specific date -Before < -After > -Range Type of Document - Article - Book Review - Thesis/Dissertation - Proceedings - Manuscripts

CATALOG Author Title Subject Call Number SCIENCE Super Taxa Gene Symbol Molecular Sequence BUSINESS Slogan Company Name NAICS Number INTERNET Page Depth Location/Domain Media Types (Java, Images, Script, etc.) PERIODICALS Full-text Abstract Citation Fields DUNS Number References Cited