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XU.TUTOR

Defining the Question
Identifying Resources
Improving a Search
Evaluating Websites
Preventing Plagiarism
Understanding Copyright

 
 

 

 

   
  Improving a Search
   
 

1. Narrowing and broadening a search

To create a productive yet relevant search strategy you must combine the most important words or key concepts identified in your research question using the AND, OR and NOT Boolean operators. The way key concepts are combined directly influences the results of your search. Combinations that broaden a search increase results while combinations that narrow a search decrease results.

Operators Search Strategy Effect Results
OR Facebook or MySpace or Social Networking Broadens Increases
AND Facebook and MySpace and Social Networking Narrows Decreases

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