A Boolean Operator is a word that communicates search functions. AND, OR, and NOT are the Boolean operators used in searching databases to combine terms and search more efficiently.

AND = Results contain BOTH terms.
OR = Results contain EITHER term.
NOT = Results have the first term(s), but not the term following NOT.

Use keywords that describe your topic or descriptive terms from your thesis statement. For primary source documents, such as a study or report, include those terms in the search. Examples:

• opens new windowcaffeine AND Parkinson's disease (MEDLINE results; keyword search)
• opens new windowcaffeine AND Parkinson's disease AND study (MEDLINE results; keyword search)
• opens new windowMH "Parkinson Disease" AND caffeine AND studyopens new window (MEDLINE results; MH=medical subject heading)
• opens new windowopens new windowcaffeine AND Parkinson's disease AND study (ScienceDirect results; keyword search)

When you find an article in a bibliography or reference list, search the article title in opens new windowEagleSearch.

If you have some citation information:

• go to the opens new windowJournal Finder+, search the journal title then follow the links to the issue and date you need
• try a keyword search for the journal name, article title, subjects, author(s) and/or other information you know in opens new windowEagleSearch

If you have a topic and journal name:

• go to opens new windowPublication Finder, search the journal title, then "search all issues" of the journal with key terms. opens new windowmore...