Essential Question
What skills and strategies are needed to gather online information effectively and efficiently so that I can find answers to complex questions and conduct research?
In 1982 R. Buckminster Fuller estimated that the amount of knowledge held by humans in year 1 doubled by the year 1500. The next time the accumulation of human knowledge doubled, it took 250 years. Then it took 150 years for human knowledge to double again. The doubling speed after World War II was approximately 25 years. With the advent and proliferation of the Internet the knowledge doubling rates is approximately 13 months. It is estimated that the doubling of knowledge will eventually reach the speed of doubling every 12 hours.
With this rate of knowledge expansion it is important to know how to sift through the information on the Internet in an effective and efficient manner.
In 1982 R. Buckminster Fuller estimated that the amount of knowledge held by humans in year 1 doubled by the year 1500. The next time the accumulation of human knowledge doubled, it took 250 years. Then it took 150 years for human knowledge to double again. The doubling speed after World War II was approximately 25 years. With the advent and proliferation of the Internet the knowledge doubling rates is approximately 13 months. It is estimated that the doubling of knowledge will eventually reach the speed of doubling every 12 hours.
With this rate of knowledge expansion it is important to know how to sift through the information on the Internet in an effective and efficient manner.
What is boolean searching?
In a search query, Boolean logic helps us define the relationship between multiple search terms to limit, broaden or hone the search. Any number of boolean search terms can be combined to refine your search results.
So what?
Using Boolean search operators allows for streamlining the Internet searching process. The number of websites currently in existence is unimaginable. It only takes Google’s servers half a second to query approximately 50 billion indexed pages but it is a time consuming process for an individual to evaluate the first page search results.
The only case in which you won’t need any search logic, is when you search for only a single word, like Earth.
The only case in which you won’t need any search logic, is when you search for only a single word, like Earth.
Operators to know
The Big Three
AND, OR, NOT are the three primary operators which tell the search engine how to search.
AND, OR, NOT are the three primary operators which tell the search engine how to search.
AND or the + symbol
Note: AND must be in all caps and there is no space after the + symbol
Inserting And or the + symbol links words, so all linked terms are included in the search results. This way results where one of the terms is missing will be excluded. The more words you enter connected by AND the fewer results you get as all your words will be searched.
Note: AND must be in all caps and there is no space after the + symbol
Inserting And or the + symbol links words, so all linked terms are included in the search results. This way results where one of the terms is missing will be excluded. The more words you enter connected by AND the fewer results you get as all your words will be searched.
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For example: Wind AND Fire
Returns results which include both wind and fire
The number of results returned:
Wind - 890,000,000
Fire - 1,970,000,000
Wind Fire - 414,000,000
Wind AND Fire - 409,000,000
For example: Wind AND Fire
Returns results which include both wind and fire
The number of results returned:
Wind - 890,000,000
Fire - 1,970,000,000
Wind Fire - 414,000,000
Wind AND Fire - 409,000,000
For example: Earth AND Wind AND Fire
Only returns results which include all three terms so that the top hits all relate to the band Earth, Wind and Fire.
The number of results returned for:
Wind AND Fire - 409,000,000
Fire AND Earth - 462,000,000
Wind AND Earth - 351,000,000
Earth AND Wind AND Fire - 140,000,000
OR or the | symbol
Note: OR must be in caps and there IS a space after the | symbol
Use OR to search for at least one of the terms. Using OR will return results with either one or several or all of the search terms.
The more words you enter connected by OR the more results you will get
Note: OR must be in caps and there IS a space after the | symbol
Use OR to search for at least one of the terms. Using OR will return results with either one or several or all of the search terms.
The more words you enter connected by OR the more results you will get
For example: Wind OR Fire
Returns results for just wind, just fire and sites with both wind and fire
The number of results returned for:
Wind OR Fire - 2,820,000,000
For example: Earth OR Wind OR Fire
In this case all terms are searched independently as well as overlapping terms.
The number of results returned for:
Wind OR Fire - 2,820,000,000
Fire OR Earth - 3,050,000,000
Wind OR Earth - 2,040,000,000
Earth OR Wind OR Fire - 3,930,000,000
NOT or the - symbol
Note: NOT must be in all caps and there is no space between the - symbol and the keyword you want to exclude. Google does not operate with NOT, instead of NOT you should use the - symbol.
Use NOT to exclude keywords from your search. This often occurs after you have done a search, looked at the results and determined that there are common results which are not applicable to your search.
Note: NOT must be in all caps and there is no space between the - symbol and the keyword you want to exclude. Google does not operate with NOT, instead of NOT you should use the - symbol.
Use NOT to exclude keywords from your search. This often occurs after you have done a search, looked at the results and determined that there are common results which are not applicable to your search.
For example: Wind NOT Fire or Wind -Fire
Returns results for just wind. Any site with any mention of fire are excluded. This applies to sites which mention wind and fire.
The number of results returned for:
Wind - 890,000,000
Wind -Fire - 891,000,000
Wind NOT Fire - 361,000,000
Additional Operators
"Quotations Marks"
Putting terms in quotation marks indicates a phrase should be searched for exactly as it appears. Quotation marks also requires the search engine to search common words such as which or that.
Example: "illness which causes a rash"
* Asterisk
This is a wildcard symbol which represents a missing word so that the search engine fills in any possible word. An asterisk can also be placed at the end of a word to indicate that the ending of the word can be an possible ending.
Example: “the * lights up the moon” / moon hard* returns results containing hard, hardness, harder, etc.
~ Tilde
This symbol searches for all synonyms of a word. To use the tilde put it infront of the keyword with NO space.
Example: ~sun returns results containing the terms sun, solaris, solar, etc.
.. Double Dot
The double dot placed between two numbers denotes a range of number which will narrow the search results. To use the double dot there are NO spaces between the dots and the numbers
Example: “solar eclipse 1990..2005′′
"Quotations Marks"
Putting terms in quotation marks indicates a phrase should be searched for exactly as it appears. Quotation marks also requires the search engine to search common words such as which or that.
Example: "illness which causes a rash"
* Asterisk
This is a wildcard symbol which represents a missing word so that the search engine fills in any possible word. An asterisk can also be placed at the end of a word to indicate that the ending of the word can be an possible ending.
Example: “the * lights up the moon” / moon hard* returns results containing hard, hardness, harder, etc.
~ Tilde
This symbol searches for all synonyms of a word. To use the tilde put it infront of the keyword with NO space.
Example: ~sun returns results containing the terms sun, solaris, solar, etc.
.. Double Dot
The double dot placed between two numbers denotes a range of number which will narrow the search results. To use the double dot there are NO spaces between the dots and the numbers
Example: “solar eclipse 1990..2005′′
(Parentheses)
Adding parentheses nests the search terms as the terms inside the parentheses are searched first. This symbol is used in conjunction with operators such as AND / OR. If searching using both AND and OR then the parentheses must be used.
Example: "Solar eclipse" AND moon AND (night OR daytime) returns results with either night or daytime
For example: Earth AND (Wind OR Fire)
By using the parentheses the nested elements are treated as one unit.
The number of results returned for:
Earth AND (Wind OR Fire) - 579,000,000
Earth AND Wind AND Fire - 140,000,000
Earth OR Wind OR Fire - 3,930,000,000
Adding parentheses nests the search terms as the terms inside the parentheses are searched first. This symbol is used in conjunction with operators such as AND / OR. If searching using both AND and OR then the parentheses must be used.
Example: "Solar eclipse" AND moon AND (night OR daytime) returns results with either night or daytime
For example: Earth AND (Wind OR Fire)
By using the parentheses the nested elements are treated as one unit.
The number of results returned for:
Earth AND (Wind OR Fire) - 579,000,000
Earth AND Wind AND Fire - 140,000,000
Earth OR Wind OR Fire - 3,930,000,000
Turning a question into a search
Searching a research question verbatim won't yield maximum results instead the search engine user needs to extract keywords and apply Boolean search operators to maximize search effectiveness.
- Look at the question and identify the keyword. Example: What led to the extinction of prehistoric animals in the Australasia region? --> Extinction / Prehistoric / Animals / Australasia
- Identify what concepts can be combined and what phrases need to remain intact. Combine search terms by using AND to combine each concept in a single search. This is a faster and more effective way to search. Example: "prehistoric animals" AND extinction AND Australasia
- Identify any words which have synonyms that could product results relevant to the topic. Keyword searching only retrieves exactly what you search for so it might be necessary to think of alternative terms or synonyms to describe your topic. Example: ~extinction AND "prehistoric animals" AND Australasia
A pre-search kwl
Before students conduct a search it can be beneficial for them to do a modified KWL.
Know
This helps students :
This helps students:
This column can be used:
This column can be used:
Know
This helps students :
- identify potential search terms
- prevents reading webpages with information which students already know
This helps students:
- identify potential search terms
- direct their thinking about where to look online for information: i.e., Google Scholar, Library of Congress, etc
- define search topics that might have information relevant to their research
This column can be used:
- to record information they have learned about their research topic
This column can be used:
- for students to remind themselves of terms and topics about which they still need to research
Now you try turning a question into a search
Take 1 minute to look at the question and determine the best approach for searching the internet for the answer. We will share our answer at the end of the two minutes.
This three-lobed leaves of a tall tree are powdered and used in a traditional New Orleans dish, and the bark is the traditional flavoring for a soft drink. What drink is it?
This three-lobed leaves of a tall tree are powdered and used in a traditional New Orleans dish, and the bark is the traditional flavoring for a soft drink. What drink is it?
challenge
In pairs, take 3 minutes to choose a question below, determine how to search for the answer and go onto a search engine and find the answer to the question.
- The second wife of King Henry VIII is said to haunt the grounds where she was executed. What does she supposedly have tucked under her arm? Answer (Do not cheat and look at the answer before the end of the 5 minutes!)
- There's a particular kind of bird that's often used to go fishing. It typically perches with its wings spread out wide. Why does it do that? Answer (Do not cheat and look at the answer before the end of the 5 minutes!)
- If you were a ferry passenger traveling from Continental Europe to the country with twice as many sheep as people, in what town would you most likely dock? Answer (Do not cheat and look at the answer before the end of the 5 minutes!)
- My route is marked by the shells of scallops, a journey that thousands take each year to a cathedral in my honor, deep in the heart of Galicia. Who am I? Answer (Do not cheat and look at the answer before the end of the 5 minutes!)
- If you consecutively slept one night in each room (excluding bathrooms) of the Palace of the Light of Faith, how many years would it take you to sleep in them all? Answer (Do not cheat and look at the answer before the end of the 5 minutes!)
Teaching Boolean Searching
Google Lessons on Search Education
Boolean Logic Visual (Interactive)
Boolean Logic Venn Diagram (Interactive)
Boolean Logic Visual (Interactive)
Boolean Logic Venn Diagram (Interactive)
activities
Sources used to make this page
Make Use Of, Become Better at Finding Stuff with Search Engines: Boolean Search Logic Explained
Make Use Of, Master the Google Operands: Search Really Fast
University of Sydney Library, Search Smarter, Search Faster
Joe Barker, University of California Berkeley, Basic Search Tips and Advanced Boolean Explained
Make Use Of, Master the Google Operands: Search Really Fast
University of Sydney Library, Search Smarter, Search Faster
Joe Barker, University of California Berkeley, Basic Search Tips and Advanced Boolean Explained