This tool is designed to teach you how to create a search string. Cut and paste the search string results into the search box of a library database or search engine.
Identify the main concepts in your topic by selecting nouns important to the content and context. Leave out words that don’t help the search, such as adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and, usually, verbs.
For each main concept, list alternative terms, including synonyms and singular and plural forms of the words. Sometimes synonyms, plurals, and singulars aren’t enough. So also consider associations with other words and concepts. Check to make sure that your terms are not too broad or too narrow for what you want. Figuring out what’s too broad or too narrow takes practice and may differ a bit with each search.
Boolean operators are connector words, such as AND, OR, and NOT, that are used to combine or exclude words in a search string for more focused results.
| Operator | Examples | Results |
| AND |
business AND ethics |
Results contain ALL of the search terms. |
| OR |
hotels OR motels |
Results contain ANY of the search terms, but not necessarily all of them. |
| NOT |
java NOT coffee |
Excludes results containing the second search term. |
To retrieve the most relevant search results, you will need to construct a search string.
A search string is a combination of keywords, truncation symbols, and boolean operators you enter into the search box of a library database or search engine.
Search Rules:
Truncation or wildcard symbols allow you to look for variations of words. They often broaden your search results.
For example, searching on sport* would bring up variations such as sport, sports, sporting, sporty, etc.
Note: The truncation symbol varies by database. Consult the database’s “help” or “search tips” pages for details.