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Using AND, OR, and NOT for better search results

If you have two or more search terms, use one of the connector words (and, or, not) to get more precise results. 

  • See the tabs in this box for examples of using these connectors in searches
  • Using them will either narrow or broaden your set of results, depending on which one you use.
  • Boolean operators form the basis of mathematical sets and database logic.

Remember Boolean Operators need to be UPPERCASE when you type them into the search box.

Boolean Operator AND

Use AND to narrow your search. For example, using "New England AND Patriots" will find articles with both terms, giving you more specific results. 

 

 

 

Boolean Operator OR

Use OR to broaden your results. Using "New England OR Patriots" will find articles with either term, giving you more results. You can use synonyms with OR to help find relevant information.

Boolean Operator NOT

Use NOT to filter out results with terms you don't need. For example "New England AND Patriots NOT football" will filter out articles with the term "football".