Boolean operators form the basis of mathematical sets and database logic.
Why use Boolean operators?
Databases follow commands you type in and return results based on those commands. Be aware of the logical order in which words are connected when using Boolean operators:
Examples:
Use AND in a search to:
The purple triangle in the middle of the Venn diagram below represents the result set for this search. It is a small set using AND, the combination of all three search words.
Be aware:
Use OR in a search to:
All three circles represent the result set for this search. It is a big set because any of those words are valid using the OR operator.
Use NOT in a search to:
This guide was adapted from the MIT Libraries Database Search Tips guide with permission under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 license