Boxer Library
Most people are familiar with using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) while creating their search. In addition to these operators, there are more advanced searching options that can help you build a comprehensive and organized search.
It's a good idea to use quotes around each search term or search phrase. This will tell the database that you want it to search exactly that term or phrase. Note that Ovid databases are unable to process curly quotes (“”), so be aware of that if you are pasting in search strategies. Some databases, like Embase, prefer single straight quotes (') but will convert double and curly quotes automatically.
Below is a table of common operators that you can use in many popular database
| Operator | Common Symbols (Check Each Database) | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcard | $ | Find different spellings of words | flav$r will find flavor and flavour |
| Truncation | * | Search all possible endings of a word | communit* will find community and communities |
| Proximity | ADJn | Find terms within a set amount of words from each other | bipolar ADJ1 disorder will find bipolar disorder, bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder |
Not all databases will allow all of these operators so make sure you check database help pages or ask one of the librarians at the Boxer Library if you aren't sure.
