Boolean is an alternative search method to ‘Keywords Mode’, where users can build complex search strings.
You can validate your Boolean to identify potential issues within the search string you are using.
Within the platform, there are several areas where Boolean operators may assist you in further filtering and refining your results.
Operators
Here are the common operators for you to utilise:
Operator | Example | Explanation |
AND | Apple AND Mango | Both Apple and Mango must be present |
OR | Apple OR Mango | Either Apple or Mango must be present |
NOT | Apple NOT Mango | Apple must be present; Mango must not be present |
( ) | (Apple AND Mango) OR (Grape AND Cherry) | Either Apple and Mango must be present, or Grape and Cherry must be present |
"" | "Apple&Mango" / "One of your five a day." | Use double quotation marks when using special characters, or when searching for a phrase or multiple words. |
(( )) | (Apple AND (Cherry OR Mango)) | Apple must be present as well as either Cherry or Mango |
* | Man* | The * acts as a wildcard and will match a number of characters. For example, "Mango", "Man", "Mandarin", "Manmade", etc |
~ | "Apple Mango"~20 | A proximity search. Mango must be within 20 words or less of Apple. |
How to perform a Boolean Search
Boolean searches can be done on any search engine across the Internet using certain symbols, and there is no restriction on how many you use in one search string.
Six elements of Boolean search:
1. AND: placing AND between search terms will cause results to include both (or all) of the keywords. The search terms that follow the AND must appear in the search results.
2. OR: using OR when you want to search for something that has the possibility of including either set of search terms. All combination possibilities will come up.
3. AND NOT: useful when you want to exclude a specific search term from appearing in any results. This will prevent the terms from coming up.
4. Quotation marks "": when you want to search for an exact phrase, use quotation marks around that phrase.
5. Parentheses (): placing parentheses allows separation of the terms and preference to be given to specified ones.
6. Proximity Search ~: A proximity search is a way of searching for words that are near each other within a certain word count of your choosing, rather than just anywhere on the page.