COM 220, Introduction to Public Speaking

AND

• Finds sources containing two or more ideas.
• The database will only retrieve items containing both words.
• AND narrows your search.
• You can use AND many times in one search.
• Example: weapons AND schools

OR

• Use OR when searching for synonyms.
• OR broadens your search to include synonyms and related words.
• OR tells the database that the words can be used interchangeably, so it will retrieve items containing either word.
• You can use OR many times in one search.
• Example: weapons OR guns

AND and OR

Make a complex search using both AND and OR by using parentheses around OR synonyms.

• Example: (weapons OR guns) AND schools
• Example: (weapon* OR gun*) AND (universit* OR college*) AND conceal*

*

• Common symbol used to replace any number of letters at the ends of words.
• Helps find singulars, plurals, and variant endings of words.
• Example: conceal* finds conceal, conceals, concealed

• Most databases use the * truncation symbol, but some use ? or $ or !. Check the online help to identify the truncation symbol used.
• Databases that use * include the Academic Search Complete and Expanded Academic Index.

• Check the help screen for each database to determine which truncation symbol is used in that database.

limits vary

Most databases let you limit search results. Some limits include language, date of publication, publication type, etc.

""

• Enclose phrases in quotation marks when searching the Web or most databases.
• Phrase searching in databases varies. Check the online help for additional information.
• Example: "concealed weapon permit"
• Example: "university of washington"