Boolean Logic
For better search results, try Boolean Operators!
AND connects terms and narrows the search
OR expands the search (finds either term)
NOT excludes terms and narrows your search
For example:
Phrase Searching
Phrase searching narrows your search results to include the exact phrase you are searching for - two or more words in precise order. Phrase searching is also handy when searching on specific titles or quotes especially when searching the open web or when trying to locate a full-text article.
For example:
"physical activity"
"range of motion"
Truncation
Truncation will broaden your search and look for variations of a root word. For example:
Searching on stretch* will search for the root word stretch and all extensions of the word including:
Nesting
Nesting will broaden your search and is most commonly used between synonyms. Use nesting to organize your search strategy as follows:
(exercise OR "physical activity") AND ("High blood pressure" OR hypertension)
The following video provides an overview of how to use the Boolean Operators AND, OR, and NOT to combine keywords in a search strategy: