This document provides information on advanced search tools and strategies that can help users search more efficiently. It discusses wildcard and truncation symbols that can be used to search for word variants or unknown characters. Boolean operators like AND, OR and NOT are explained, which can connect search terms and refine results. The document also recommends searching specific fields like title, abstract, or author to find more targeted results.

1. Advanced Search Tools
 Truncation & Wildcard Symbols
 Boolean Operators
 Searching in Specific Fields

2. Wildcard & Truncation Symbols
• These symbols help you save time and search more efficiently
• They are used to search for word variants, words with unknown characters, etc.
• Specific symbols and their functions may vary by database (check the Help feature for details)

3. Wildcard Symbol
? (question mark) represents a single character
• can go in the middle of a word
• will find variants of that word
Examples: advi?e finds advice, advise
col?or finds color, colour

4. Truncation Symbol
* (asterisk) can represent multiple characters
• can go at the end of a root word
• will find all endings of that word
Example: pollut* finds
pollute, pollutes, pollution, polluter, polluted,
polluting, pollutant, pollutants

5. Using Truncation Symbols
Make sure your truncation leads to at least 2 useful words
medicin* { industrializ* {
industr* {
BIO* {
medicine
medicinal
industrialize
industrialization
industry
industrial
industrialization
biology
biopsy
biography
biometrics…
Consider if your truncation will include too many unrelated words​

6. What are Boolean Operators ?
Boolean operators connect and define the relationship between your search terms:
 AND
 OR
 NOT
They can help you save time and search
more efficiently.
Use ADVANCED SEARCH to access these.​
If typing out, use all uppercase.​

7. Boolean Operators
• means the search results must
include all terms listed
• narrows your search: you find fewer
items, but they're more specific
• is generally implied in any search
string, but there may be differences
in the results
• Best practice: Try it both ways, and
explore each set of results
is similar but not
identical to
AND

8. Boolean Operators
Returns results in which all of the
words are in close proximity
compare
Returns results in which the terms may
not be in close proximity to each other
Best practice: Try it both ways, and explore each set of results
AND

9. Boolean Operators
• finds items containing either term
• is good for combining synonyms in
a search
• broadens your search: you find
more items, because they only
need to contain one of the terms
OR

10. Boolean Operators
In this example, we use OR to combine
two searches:
• teen AND crime = 7,741
+
• adolescent AND crime = 14,166
…to get more results on the topic!

11. Boolean Operators
• eliminates hits containing a certain
keyword
• narrows your search
• removes unwanted topics from your results
• use these to refine your search after
assessing results
NOT

12. Searching in Specific Fields
The default is usually a full-text
search
Most databases will give you the
option to search in different fields.
Use ADVANCED SEARCH to access
these options.​

13. Searching in specific fields
If your keyword is in the Title or Abstract of the article, it is probably a central
concept in the article, not just mentioned in passing.
So, searching for your keywords in the Title or Abstract field will yield fewer results,
but they will be more relevant.
Caution: you may miss relevant articles that don’t contain your keyword in these
limited fields.

14. Searching in specific fields
Searching within the Author field will yield articles written by
people with that name.
Note that this yields articles BY Piaget, not ABOUT him.

15. See Also: Troubleshooting Your Search Strategy
Contact us for more help: Library.flemingcollege.ca