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Rider University Libraries

CMP-125 (Ionescu, Spring 2024)

Prof. Iwona Ionescu

Search Rules

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

  • "dog owners"
  • "musical theater majors"

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-reduced your search results by adding different concepts

  • "rock climbers" AND age*
  • "anime fans" AND adult*

OR-increase your search results by adding similar concepts

  • "anime fans" OR weeb* OR otaku*
  • beatnik* OR "beat generation" Or "silent generation"

Not-eliminate a concept

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

4. User Brackets for Logical Execution of Your Search Statement

  • (swiftie* OR fans) AND "Taylor Swift"

  • ("music media" Or tape* OR CD* Or cassette* Or album*) AND collector*

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.