Web Searching

PAGE (4 of 10)

Conducting a Query

A keyword search is initiated by entering a word, set of words, or phrase into the search box, (the text area provided). How one constructs the query is very important. Different search engines allow the use of various operators which aid in the broadening or narrowing of a query. The following table gives some of these operators and how they might be used. Note that not all search engines implement all of the following operators.

Search Operators

OPERATOR

USE TO...

EXAMPLE

RESULTS

Booolean

AND

require that both terms are present somewhere in the document

zen AND motorcycles

will find all documents containing the words "zen" and "motorcycles"

AND NOT

exclude the term from the query

zen AND NOT internet

returns all documents with the word "zen" excluding those with the word "internet"

OR

require that at least one term is present

turtle OR tortoise

returns all documents with either "turtle" or "tortoise"

NEAR

require that one term is found within a certain proximity of the ot her

ethics NEAR responsibility

returns all documents with "ethics" in close proximity to "responsibility"

Composite boolean

boolean operators and ( )

broaden or narrow keyword search

(zen AND motorcycles) AND NOT internet

documents containing "zen" and "motorcycles" but not "internet"

Truncation

*

finds words beginning with the given stem

star*

returns documents with starts, stardom, starvation, startle, etc.

+REQUIRE

+

similar to boolean AND, requires the term

+zen +motorcycles

documents containing the words "zen" and motorcycles" somewhere in the text

-EXCLUDE

-

similar to boolean NOT, excludes the term

+zen -internet

documents not containing this term

Phrase

" "

marks a phrase

"cat in the hat"

documents containing this phrase

Case Sensitivity

upper and lower case letters

Adjacent capitalized words are treated as a single proper name

Blade Runner

documents containing info on the movie rather than on the separate words "Blade" and "Runner"

Example

option next to an example

narrow a search to one like the example

	OPERATOR	USE TO...	EXAMPLE	RESULTS
Booolean	AND	require that both terms are present somewhere in the document	zen AND motorcycles	will find all documents containing the words "zen" and "motorcycles"
	AND NOT	exclude the term from the query	zen AND NOT internet	returns all documents with the word "zen" excluding those with the word "internet"
	OR	require that at least one term is present	turtle OR tortoise	returns all documents with either "turtle" or "tortoise"
	NEAR	require that one term is found within a certain proximity of the ot her	ethics NEAR responsibility	returns all documents with "ethics" in close proximity to "responsibility"
Composite boolean	boolean operators and ( )	broaden or narrow keyword search	(zen AND motorcycles) AND NOT internet	documents containing "zen" and "motorcycles" but not "internet"
Truncation	*	finds words beginning with the given stem	star*	returns documents with starts, stardom, starvation, startle, etc.
+REQUIRE	+	similar to boolean AND, requires the term	+zen +motorcycles	documents containing the words "zen" and motorcycles" somewhere in the text
-EXCLUDE	-	similar to boolean NOT, excludes the term	+zen -internet	documents not containing this term
Phrase	" "	marks a phrase	"cat in the hat"	documents containing this phrase
Case Sensitivity	upper and lower case letters	Adjacent capitalized words are treated as a single proper name	Blade Runner	documents containing info on the movie rather than on the separate words "Blade" and "Runner"
Example	option next to an example	narrow a search to one like the example