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.