During the search you will want to specify how the words are combined. This should be done in a way that reflects the concept map of the original query. A few search systems require these operators to be in upper case and a few use symbols.
The connectors, or logical operators, used in this process are:
| Or broadens a search by inclusion. It is used to include alternate terms, synonyms, and parallel or related concepts. At least one of the listed terms must appear in the retrieved reference. This combines terms listed horizontally within each row in the concept maps. See also truncation. |  CLEANUP OR DUMPING To retrieve references containing either one word or the other. |
| And narrows a search by combination. Something from each concept must appear in the references to be retrieved. This is used to combine the concepts from different rows in the concept maps. Some systems may refer to this as modifying the search by limiting with additional concepts or terms. See also adjacency (below) and fields. |  DUMPING AND WASTES Both words must be present in the reference to be retrieved. |
| Not narrows a search by exclusion. Sometimes seen as AND NOT, or ANDNOT, it excludes any records that contain the listed term. Because it can also take out desirable material (when a record contains both desired and undesired elements), use AND to narrow searches wherever possible. |
 TOXIC NOT RADIOACTIVE To retrieve articles that contain the word toxic and do not have the word radioactive. Something that covers both is not retrieved. |
| Adjacency narrows a search by requiring that the words appear together as a phrase and is much more restrictive than the AND, above. It is used to search for phrases that are not already defined. This may be seen as ADJacent, Within, or the phrase may have to be enclosed in quotes. Variations can include specifying the number of other words between your search terms and whether or not they must appear in the order you specified. This capability is not present in all systems. Check the online help or cribsheets for details. |
INDUSTRIAL REGULATION "INDUSTRIAL REGULATION" INDUSTRIAL ADJ REGULATION The words must occur side-by-side in the same order. |
If the search system forces you to make the entire search in one statement use parentheses.
Converting the concept map outline to a search, the terms listed horizontally will be connected by logical ORs (broadening the search) and those from the different rows will be connected by logical ANDs (narrowing the search).
February 27, 2007
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