What Are Boolean Operators?

  • Some search engines have the technology to support a range of Boolean search operators. That is symbols and words which help to refine a search.

    Operator
    Example
    Finds
    AND
    gardening AND vegetables pages that include both (or all if there are more than two) of the words, i.e. pages that contain both gardening and vegetables
    OR
    whales OR dolphins pages that include either of the words or both, i.e. pages containg whales or dolphins or pages containing BOTH whales and dolphins.
    NOT
    science NOT fiction pages that include the first word but not the second, i.e. pages containing science but not fiction.
    +
    +san+francisco+restaurants pages that include all of the words
    -
    +san+francisco-restaurants-hotels pages that contain the words "san" and "fransisco" but NOT containing the words "restaurants" or "hotels"
    "....."
    "FA Cup Finalists" pages containing that phrase, i.e. pages containing the phrase "FA Cup Finalists"
    (......)
    Homer NOT (Simpson OR Alaska) pages containing the first word but neither of the words in brackets. i.e. Homer but not Homer Simpson or Homer Alaska.

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