Boolean Searching
Boolean searching allows you to group words together in CINAHL
to receive either more articles or less articles. Depending how
you group these words, you will receive different results.
3 Most Common Boolean Operators
AND
By using an AND between words you limit the search - therefore you
return less articles. The document must contain both words.
Example: Cancer AND Lung
OR
By placing an OR between words it expands the search - therefore
you return more articles. The document returned could have either
word to be returned.
Example: Cancer OR melanoma.
NOT
Not allows you exclude words from your searches.
Example: "skin cancer" NOT melanoma
Some Hints:
- Finding too little information may indicate that you need
to broaden your topic. For example, look for information on
cancer, rather than breast cancer.
- Link synonymous search terms to find more hits using the search
term, for example, diabetes or "insulin dependent" or
"insulin resistant".
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