Research Using Internet Resources

Web Directories (cont.)

Keyword searches allow you to enter descriptive search words to find sites that have subjects, titles or contents matching your search words.   Example of a search field

Boolean Searches When using search fields in web directories and search engines, you will need to enter keywords that are compatible with searching a database. Adding "search syntax" or Boolean operators to your keywords will help you pinpoint the information you want quickly and greatly reduce the number of unwanted search returns you receive.

Boolean Logic consists of three operators:   OR AND NOT Most Internet search fields also include:    "   " quotes (exact phase between quotation marks) Several Internet search fields include   *   asterisk ( truncation) - For example, econom* finds: economy, economic, economics, economist, etc. (Alta Vista, Yahoo, lii.org, Infomine)     Examples:   1.   I want an overview of the subject" bee stings". OR -This search will return all the web pages with at least one of the words bee or sting.   KEYWORD ENTRIES NUMBER OF RETURNS (Google "Advanced Search" )   bee OR sting 1,660,000   Returns contain a lot of information about bees - life cycle, behavioral patterns, etc. Problem: Returns contain a lot ofextraneous information about insect and jellyfish stings, Sting, the singer and "police stings". Solution: Refine search to include only pages containing both words.     2.   I would like information about only bee stings. AND -This search will return all the web pages with all of the words "bee" and"sting".   KEYWORD ENTRIES NUMBER OF RETURNS   bee AND sting 127,000 better!   Returns contain information about bees and stings. Problem: returns stillcontain a lot of information about insect and jellyfish stings, Sting, the singer and "police stings".   bee sting 127,000 Note: When not specified Google and Yahoo automatically create an "AND" relationship as default)   3.   I would like information only about bee stings with a focus on medication for treatment. _AND_ AND_ -This search will return all the web pages with all of the words "bee", "sting" and "medication".   KEYWORD ENTRIES NUMBER OF RETURNS   bee AND sting AND medication 5,850 Very good!   Problem: returns for 'bee' AND 'sting'lcontain a lot of information about insect and jellyfish stings, Sting, the singer and "police stings". Solution: Adding a 3rd keyword greatly reduces the number of returns. Most pages contain information about bee sting medication.     4. I would like information only about bee stings, but not the singer Sting. _AND_NOT_:This search will return web pages with all of the words "bee", "sting" but without the word "singer".   KEYWORD ENTRIES NUMBER OF RETURNS   bee AND sting NOT singer 128,000     Problem: Entering 'bee' and 'sting' returns a lot of extraneous pages about Sting, the singer. Solution: Use NOT to remove unwanted subjects that may be included in keyword homonyms.     5. I would like information about only bee stings, but not the singer Sting: _AND_NOT_NOT_ This search will return web pages with all of the words "bee" and "sting" but without the words "singer" or "police".   KEYWORD ENTRIES NUMBER OF RETURNS   bee AND sting NOT singer NOT police 104,000     Problem: Entering 'bee' and 'sting' returns a lot of extraneous pages about Sting, the singer and police sting operations Solution: Use multiple NOTs to remove unwanted subjects that may be included in keyword homonyms.   "___" : I would like information about only "bee stings"   KEYWORD ENTRIES NUMBER OF RETURNS   "bee stings" 32,000   Returns: Contains information about bee stings and Sting, the singer   Refining your research terms greatly diminishes the number of returns Summary of Results KEYWORD ENTRIES NUMBER OF RETURNS Google "Advanced Search" bee OR sting 1,660,000 bee AND sting 127,000 bee sting 127,000 bee AND sting NOT singer 128,000 bee AND sting NOT singer NOT police 104,000 "bee stings" 32,000 "bee sting" NOT singer NOT police 28,100 bee AND sting AND medication 5,850 *If you do not use a Boolean word, most search engines will add "AND" as the default operator. Check the search engine's "help" pages.   Some Search Englines use "Full Boolean" terms, others use "Implied Boolean" terms. Summary Chart   Full Boolean Implied Boolean Template Terminology OR bee OR sting bee OR sting any of these words can contain the words should contain the words AND bee AND sting bee sting* all of these words must contain the words NOT sting NOT singer sting   -singer must not contain the words should not contain the words "  " "bee sting" "bee sting" with the exact phrase include this exact phrase must contain exact phrase   AltaVista Advanced Search ** Dogpile HotBot Ixquick ProFusion Most search engines offer this option AllTheWeb Advanced SearchAOL.COM Search Options Google Advanced Search ** HotBot Lycos Advanced Search MSN Search Advanced Search * This search statement becomes AND in search engines that use AND as their default. Consult the Help files at each site to find out which logic is the default. (1) **A few Internet search engines make use of the proximity operator NEAR. A proximity operator determines the closeness of terms within a source document. NEAR is a restrictive AND. The closeness of the search terms is determined by the particular search engine. For example, NEAR in AltaVista (Power Search) is 10 words. As another example, Google defaults to proximity searching by default. AltaVista "advanced search" terms. See next topic in lesson 11 - Search Engines to find out which special technolgies are being used by the top search engines.      Continue!          Internet Resources (main page) | Subject Searches | Keyword Searches | Boolean Quiz   Resources: Cohen, Laura. "Boolean Searching on the Internet". May 2002, University at Albany Libraries.http://library.albany.edu/internet/boolean.html Google Search Help, http://www.google.com/help/refinesearch.html Bright Planet. "Deep Content: Boolean Searches" http://www.brightplanet.com/deepcontent/tutorials/search/part4.asp College of San Mateo, LIBR 105: Online Research Skills. Skyline College,  LSCI 100: Introduction to Information Resources.   Centers for Teaching and Learning Sevastopoulos, Bruni and Karas Updated: 2/2003