To learn how to search in specific databases like PubMed or CINAHL, visit the video tutorials tab.
What are Boolean Operators?
Boolean operators allow you to tell a database how you want it to search for your terms. They will connect your search terms together to either broaden your results (OR) or narrow your results (AND).
Capital AND, OR, and NOT are your Boolean operators.
Why do we use Boolean operators?
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When you use OR in your search you can:
(Nurse OR Nurses OR Nursing)
This chart can be a helpful way to organize and think about your search terms.
When you use AND in your search you can:
To communicate Boolean operators effectively, parentheses and nesting are necessary. Nesting will clarify the relationship between your terms.
(nurse OR nurses OR nursing) AND (burnout OR job satisfaction OR stress)
Using "double quotations" will tell the database that you want it to find the words you typed exactly as you've typed them. This is called phrase searching.