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Rider University Library

CMP-125 (Ionescu, Fall 2025)

Prof. Iwona Ionescu

Search Rules

1. Phrase search: Use " " to keep two or more words together as a phrase

  • "Polish immigrants"
  • "autistic college students"

2. Truncation: *   Most databases use the asterisk ( * ) to search variation of word endings

  • success* - success, successes, successful
  • school* -school, schools, schooled, schooling, schoology, schoolbag, schoolchild, schoolmate, schoolmaster, schoolboy, schoolmistress, schoolgirl...

3. Boolean Operators (Video)

AND-reduces your search results by adding different concepts

  • "international students" AND India*
  • fraternities AND "Rider University"
  • "history professor" OR "history major"

OR-increases your search results by adding similar concepts

  • "animal watcher" OR "wildlife observer" OR "animal lover" OR "wildlife watcher"
  • "dog rescuers" OR "canine rescues" OR "dog saviors"

Not-eliminate a concept

  • "toxic chemicals" not chlorine
  • insurance not "life insurance"

4. User Brackets for Logical Execution of Your Search Statement

  • (African American students OR black student*) AND "Rider University"

  • student worker* AND (Saxby's OR "Saxbys Coffee" OR "Saxby's soft drinks")

5. Search statement is not case sensitive

  • Bill Clinton=bill clinton
  • Walmart=walmart

6. Stop words-Do not use stop words unless in quotes

in, off, of, out, forward, the, or, and, up, etc.