All library resources will have Boolean search

tools built in — if you know where to look! If

you do not see a Boolean search tool box, look
for an “Advanced Search” option.

Books & Electronic Access to Resources

Information Literacy Resource Series for the Magnolia Library
(225) 216-8555 ● librarian@mybrcc.edu

Boolean Operators
Boolean Operators are a very effective tool to
help you locate information when a single term
search isn’t giving you the information you need

Boolean Operators are built into all electronic

library resources (see reverse for examples).
They will allow you to tell the search interface
how to use multiple search terms to get either
more or fewer returns, so your returns will be
focused on what you are really looking for!

AND, OR, NOT are the 3 you should know.

AND
will allow you to search for multi-
ple terms in a single article
will eliminate articles without
both search terms
will focus your search and give
you FEWER returns
OR
will search for either search term
in a single article
will provide more articles than
either search term by itself
will expand your search and give
you MORE returns
NOT (sometimes AND NOT)
will search for articles that con-
tain the first search term while
excluding any that contain the
second search term
will focus on one term specifically
and give you FEWER returns
Java
Java AND
Coffee Be aware that some resources, like Lexis-Nexis,
allow Boolean searching without providing tools
Coffee
like these. With these resources, you may
manually enter the Boolean Operator (AND, OR,
NOT) in ALL CAPS between your search terms.
Java
These resources generally allow the expanded
precision of searching with Adjacency Opera-
OR
tors.
Coffee
Within — indicates proximity between terms
example: Coffee W/5 Cream
Not Within — will exclude returns that are nor-
mally closely related
Java
example: Mississippi NOT W/3 River
Preceded By — indicates proximity and order of
terms
NOT example: George PRE/3 Bush
Coffee
Within Doc — must appear in same article
example: Baseball W/DOC Michael Jordan

BearEssentials/BE-Boolean 20090404