1. Isolate keywords from your topic.
2. Narrow your search results to include all of your keywords using AND.
"United States" AND cultural competence AND health care
3. Expand your search using OR to find like terms.
"United States" AND "cultural competence" AND ("health care" OR healthcare)
Combining search terms with AND:
For Example
A search for "United States" yields 314,000 results results
A search for cultural competence yields 1,700 results
A search for cultural competence AND "United States" yields 429 results
Combining search terms with OR:
For Example
A search for "health care" yields 263,000 results
A search for healthcare yields 170,000 results
A search for "health care" OR healthcare yields 317,000 results
For Example
A search for caregiver yields 13,300 results
A search for caregiver NOT family yields 6,700 results
Use Quotation Marks to:
This shows the search engine that you want the terms to be found together. The search will look for exactly what you place in the quotation marks, so be sure there are no mistakes.
For Example
A search for United States yields over 500,000 results
A search for "United States" yields about 300,000 results
Use Truncation to:
Search engines match your exact terms to results; they will not automatically find an alternate version of it. Truncation tells the search to match the root of your term and gives it freedom to find whatever endings it can.
For Example
A search for cultural yields 36,000 results
A search for cultur* yields over 95,000 results
1. denoting a system of algebraic notation used to represent logical propositions, especially in computing and electronics.
What does that mean for you?
If you are having a hard time finding what you need, use the Boolean Operators outlined here to more efficiently search databases.
No matter where you are searching - the catalog, Google Scholar, a database you will want to use Boolearn Operators to refine your search to your specifications.
We are indebted to the Butler University Library's And/Or/Not box and to the Sarah Lawrence Create a Search Using Commands box for some of the content displayed here.
To find out whether our library owns a specific title that you have in mind, follow these steps:
1. Type your search terms in the WorldCat search box (or use this direct link) to search books, articles, journal titles, etc.
2. If you have a title, type it in with quotes: "The human body in health & disease"
3. If your results list seems too long, you may limit to HSLIC and then the material format you are interested in on the sidebar.
4. Is this the title and year that you want? Does it say "available"? If so, note the location and call number. You can also click on the title for more information.
5. WorldCat Discovery only shows a "representative example" of all editions that we own. Do you want to find out if we own a more recent edition of this book? Click on the Title and then Editions and Formats. The titles that HSLIC owns will appear at the top of the list. Click on the title to find out more.
6. To find out if HSLIC owns a new edition, click the "Group Related Editions" button.
1. Narrow to a specific library
2. Take note of the Library, shelving location and availability