Academic Research Booklet

16

Getting specific Boolean search terms are words and symbols which you can use in combination with your key words to create ‘word equations’ to narrow down your results when searching in databases and search engines such as Google and JSTOR. JSTOR advanced search also allows for the NEAR 5, NEAR 10 or NEAR 25 function which tells the search engine that all results must have the two key words within 5, 10 or 25 words of each other. This function helps give a greater chance your key words are related to each other rather than appearing independently pages apart. Top Tip: For advanced search functions: • Type Advanced Search into Google • Choose the advanced search function on the front page of JSTOR just underneath the regular search box Search engines often use different way of advanced searching, for example, JSTOR combines words using AND between each but Google will automatically assume AND if two words are next to each other. JSTOR uses NOT to remove a word from a search, Google allows the use of the minus sign instead.

In the search box

Results

must have both the words British and women somewhere on the page must have either the word British or the word Britain, or both, somewhere on the page must have the word British but none may have the word American words in quote marks must appear in the results in the exact way they are written must have the word woman and must have either the word British or Britain

British AND Women

British OR Britain

British NOT American

“Female Population”

Woman AND (British OR Britain)