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Overview of search techniques

You can use search techniques with keywords to make the search for information

  • more focused
  • with more relevant search results.

You can use more than one search technique at a time.

Basic search techniques include:

Boolean Searching

(including or avoiding specific terms)

Truncation

(using part of a keyword)

Phrase Searching

(using exact strings of words)

Search techniques

 

AND Operator

You use the AND operator to combine two or more keywords/terms. When using AND, you will only retrieve information that includes both these keywords/terms. The use of this operator will give you fewer results.

Tip picture 

Databases differ in how they use the AND operator and can indicate it in any of the following ways:

  • AND in capital letters between keywords, e.g. education AND reform
  • and in small letters between keywords, e.g. education and reform
  • often there are several search rows to input your keywords; each linked by AND

Boolean AND

 

Help

Look at the"Help" function of each database to see how you should indicate the AND operator for that particular database.

OR Operator

The OR operator is used to broaden your search and to give more results. This is useful when you have identified synonyms or alternative terms to use in your search, e.g. woman or female.

 

  Databases differ in how they indicate the OR operator and can indicate it in

 any of the following ways:

  • OR in capital letters between keywords, e.gtherapy OR treatment
  • or in small letters between keywords, e.gtherapy or treatment

 

 Look at the "Help" function of each database to see how you should indicate the OR operator for that particular database.


 

 


NOT Operator

You use the NOT operator to exclude certain information from your results. This operator will give you fewer results.

 

Databases differ in how they indicate the NOT operator and can indicate it in any of the following ways:

  • NOT in capital letters before keyword(s) to be excluded, e.g. virus NOT computer

  • not in small letters before keyword(s) to be excluded, e.g. virus not computer

  • and not is used by some databases to exclude keywords, e.g. virus and not computer

 

 Look at the "Help" function of each database to see how you should indicate the NOT operator for that particular database.

What is truncation?

Truncation means to cut off a point or to shorten. When used with keywords, it means to keep the stem of the keywords and "cut" everything else away, leaving it out. Truncation uses a symbol to represent all possible endings of a keyword.


Effect truncation has on your search results

Truncation can increase the number of results found, by finding variations of a keyword. Some results you find may not be relevant to your topic.



Truncation Symbols

There is no standard symbol; a range of symbols can be used.

 Common truncation symbols include the symbol * or the symbol ?

 

 Look at the "Help" function of each database to see which symbol you should use to indicate truncation in that particular database.

 


Example

When you type politi* (stem + truncation symbol) you will retrieve all documents with the following words:

truncation of politi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BE CAREFUL not to truncate a keyword too soon, otherwise you will receive many unwanted results. For example: if you truncated the above example at polit* in stead of politi*, you would also receive search results on politepolitessepolity, etc.

Truncation can also be very useful if you are not sure how to spell a word. Type all the letters that you are sure of and add the truncation symbol.

What is phrase searching?

Phrase searching allows you to search for particular words in a particular order. A phrase search retrieves two or more words only when they appear next to each other as a phrase, e.g. “higher educationSouth Africa.

 

What effect will phrase searching have on your search results?

Using the phrase search option will narrow your search and the records retrieved should be more relevant. Phrase searching can reduce the number of results you find. It can also increase the relevancy of your results.


tip

Databases differ in how they indicate phrase searching and can indicate it in any of the following ways:

  • Use quotation marks to indicate phrase searching, e.g. “project management”
  • Use adj between keywords, e.g. project adj management

 

Help Look at the "Help" function of each database to see how you should indicate phrase searching for that particular database.


NB: Use phrase searching with care: searching for a phrase could also eliminate useful records. For example, a phrase search for "language teaching" would not find the words "teaching of language".

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