Interactive Learning and Design |
For most users the the result of an un focused search is overwhelming - thousands of sites seems almost worse than none. The Boolean terms are one of the basic tools to learn to use so that your searching can be quick and effective.
Named after the 19th century British mathematician George Boole, there three terms NOT, OR and AND. Here is a diagram of the them. They give you ways to tailor and focus your search, both using LIAS and most of the search engines. But you need to be aware that although the same three terms are used, the words or symbols used for them are different.
For instance, the Boolean terms can translated into: ! (NOT), || (OR), && (AND) in scripting, or, as Lycos does + for AND, - for NOT, or require a period before the term - .AND, .OR, .NOT - like LIAS. Always check the conventions of what ever means you are using to search with.
This search in LIAS:
Degas .AND pastels .NOT prints .NOT drawings
yielded this result:
[1] Pastels. / Degas, Edgar. [c1952?].
[2] Degas, oeuvres du Musee du Louvre: peintures, pastels, dessins, sculptures. Orangerie des Tuileries, 27 juin-15 septembre 1969. [Catalogue. / Musee du Louvre. [1969].
[3] Degas pastels. / Werner, Alfred. [1968].
[4] Degas pastels. / Maheux, Anne F. 1988.
[5] Degas pastels. / Degas, Edgar. 1st ed. 1992.
[6] Catalogue des tableaux modernes et anciens, aquarelles, pastels, dessins par Bartholome (A.), Boudin (E.) [et autres]. / Degas, Edgar. 1918].
Try it changing the terms.
And here is the summary of similar search using the search engine, HotBot:
Web Results 92 matches.
Breakdown: drawing 705326, painting 361812, feature:image 59010817, pastels 14703, degas 9362
Includes: Degas, pastels Excludes: painting, drawing Features: image
In HotBot and Infoseek the Boolean terms are should, must and must not. They have many other ways to limit and focus your search as well as these (for instance, I included image in my search).
Link to the refined or advanced searches to find out how the different search engines work.
Additional links:
Boolean
Search Primer
