Download Refining Internet and Database Searches

Refining Internet and
Database Searches
Created by Kathryn Reilly
Refining Internet and Database
Searches
• Both the internet and databases work on the same
principles when returning search results.
• The search engines scan all websites or documents for
the words entered into the search box.
• Knowing how to refine a search returns less or more
results, depending on what the researcher wants.
• Refined searches also provide more accurate search
returns.
Tricks to Refining Search Results
• Several tricks exist to assist the researcher in
locating information online and in databases.
– Apply Boolean search logic
– Use key words and synonyms
– Use quotation marks
Boolean Search Logic
• Boolean logic refers to combining specific
words when searching to narrow or broaden
the search results.
• The three most important words in Boolean
search logic are:
– and
– or
– not
Boolean Logic Searches: And
• Using and when searching reduces the number of
results.
• For example, if the word “technology” is googled,
3,460,000,000 results are returned.
• However, if the words “technology and education” are
googled, 1,760,000,000 results are returned.
• And should be used to narrow the results as the search
engine only returns pages with both words.
Boolean Logic Searches: Or
• Using or when searching increases the number of results.
• Or instructs the search engine to find all websites with
either of the words entered.
• When the words “technology or education” are entered
into the search box, Google returns 8,340,000,000
results.
• Or should be used when the researcher is encountering
difficulty finding enough sources.
Boolean Logic Searches: Not
• Using not when searching the internet and
databases narrows the number of results.
• Not instructs the search engine to exclude any
websites or documents with a certain word.
• For example, when the phrase “technology
not education” is googled, 2,840,000,000
results are returned.
Using Key Words and Synonyms
• Many times different results will arrive with
different key word searches.
• Researchers should brainstorm synonyms for
key words to increase the number of relevant
returned searches.
Using Key Words and Synonyms
• Let’s say the paper’s topic is education and technology.
• The obvious search phrase would be education and
technology; however synonyms may broaden the
researcher’s results.
–
–
–
–
–
Education and computers
Advances in Education
Education and the Digital age
Digital Education
Education and Apple/Dell
Using Quotation Marks
• Using quotation marks when searching instructs the search engine
to return only websites and documents with those exact words.
• Quotation marks work best with phrases.
• For example, google Shakespeare’s wife and 675,000 results appear.
• However, put the phrase in quotation marks “Shakespeare’s wife”,
and 57,200 results are returned.
• Without quotation marks, the search engine retrieves every
website with the words Shakespeare’s and wife. Some websites
may not discuss his wife, but a character’s wife. Those websites are
eliminated with quotation marks.
Refining Internet and Database
Searches Review
• Apply Boolean logic to broaden or narrow the
search results.
• Brainstorm synonyms for key search terms.
• Enclose search phrases in quotation marks to
increase accuracy and narrow search results.