1

Systematic SearchingBoolean, Search Strings and Tiers

Presented by: Patricia Hughes & Emily Powell

Date: Oct 2013

2

Aim of a Systematic Search

• To gather together all the available relevant and quality literature on a specific topic in order to ensure that the conclusions reached in a research project are based on the best available evidence.

• Is this realistic?

• Available databases• Timescales• Requirements of the project• Whether literature is available.

3

1. Create a search

• Based around the research question • Formed using Boolean principles, and • Ideally should be replicable across databases.

2. Run the search

• Across various applicable databases • Modifying as required based on results

obtained• Produce and export a suitable list of

results for sifting.• Record steps accurately

How do we do this?

4

In this Session we will..

• Go over the principles of creating a search string

• Breaking down the research question into key aspects

• Creating lists of synonym terms for these key aspects

• Forming search tiers from the lists of synonym terms• Forming search strings from the tiers using:

• Boolean AND OR and NOT• Parenthesis (round brackets)• Truncation and wildcards.

5

Breaking Down the Question

• The search approach will be based around the research question.

What works in the policing of public order?

How can we reduce recidivism amongst sexual offenders?

• It is therefore very important to be clear on what it is your trying to find out!

• The search approach will be based around the research question.

What works in the policing of public order?

How can we reduce recidivism amongst sexual offenders?

6

• Each key part identified will then make up one Tier of the search.

What works in the policing of public order?

• Tiers aren’t set in stone at this point.

• Each key part identified will then make up one Tier of the search.

What works in the policing of public order?

Forming Tiers

7

• Tiers make up the various sections of the search and consist of synonym terms for the key element being looked at:

Policing Police Law enforcement

Explaining Tiers

What works policing public order

8

• There are often three tiers, but there can be as many or as few as the search requires.

• The more tiers, the more specific your search, but the greater likelihood of your search missing useful returns.

• Now, how to explain all this visually…

Explaining Tiers 2

9

Ice Cream Sundaes

Tier 1 Frozen Dessert

Tier 2 Wafer

Tier 3Syrup

Ice creamFroyoSorbetGrannita

WaferWaffle

Golden syrupMaple syrupChocolate sauceStrawberry sauce

10

Wafers

Syrups Frozen Desserts

Sundae

Visual Search 1

11

Wafers

Syrups Frozen Desserts

Not a Sundae

Visual Search 2

12

Wafers

Syrups Frozen Desserts

Still a Sundae

Visual Search 3

13

From tiers to results

• So how do we get from …

• Or more accurately from …

to

to

14

• Boolean logic is used to form search strings.

• The standard Boolean operators are:

ANDORNOT (or AND NOT)

• Quite complicated searches can be created when using Boolean in conjunction with parentheses (round brackets), truncation and wildcards.

Boolean!

15

• From the very simple:

crime AND punishmentgood NOT evil

murder OR homicide

To the very complicated:

Example strings

16

• AND is used when both terms in a simple search to be returned.

EXAMPLE: riots AND policing This will retrieve all records containing both of the words riots and policing.

• In a complex search AND is used to link tiers

Operators - AND

RIOTS

POLICING

17

Operators - OR

• OR is used when you want to return either term in a simple search (It’s an inclusive term)

EXAMPLE: police OR policing This will retrieve all records containing the words police or policing, as well as those containing both.

• In in complex search OR is used within tiers

POLICING

POLICE

18

Operators - NOT

• NOT (or AND NOT) is used when you want to exclude a term from a simple search

EXAMPLE: crime NOT murder This will retrieve all records containing the word crime but not the word murder.

• We are unlikely to use NOT today

MURDERCRIME

19

• Parentheses or Round Brackets are used to add structure to a search.

EXAMPLE: (police OR policing) AND riots This will retrieve all records containing the words police or policing, as well as those containing both, but only if the word riots also appears.

Parentheses

R

IOTS

POLICING

POLICE

• Parentheses or Round Brackets are used to add structure to a search

EXAMPLE: police OR policing AND riots This will retrieve all records containing the words police, as well as those containing both the words policing AND riots.

20

Truncation

• Truncation is used to stem words, allowing the search to capture variant word endings.

• The truncation symbol is often * EXAMPLE: politics becomes politic*

• retrieves politic, political, politics, politically, politician.

BAD EXAMPLE: police becomes polic*

• retrieves police, policing, but also policy, policies.

21

Wildcards

• Wildcards are used to account for alternative spellings of a word

• A commonly used wildcard symbol is ?

EXAMPLE: organisation becomes organi?ation

• retrieves organisation and organization.

22

Double Quotes

• Double quotes are used to search for an exact phrase

EXAMPLE: Police and Crime Commissioners

Police and Crime Commissioners = 8159

"Police and Crime Commissioners" = 69

23

All Together Now…

Tier 1what works OR effective OR success

Tier 2Police OR policing OR law enforcement

Tier 3public order OR riots OR demonstrations

Tier 1what works OR effective OR success

Tier 2Police OR policing OR law enforcement

Tier 3public order OR riots OR demonstrations

Tier 1what works OR effectiv* OR success*

Tier 2Police OR policing OR law enforcement

Tier 3public order OR riot* OR demonstration*

Tier 1what works OR effectiv* OR success*

Tier 2Police OR policing OR law enfor?ement

Tier 3public order OR riot* OR demon?tration*

Tier 1"what works" OR effectiv* OR success*

Tier 2Police OR policing OR "law enfor?ement"

Tier 3"public order" OR riot* OR demon?tration*

Tier 1("what works" OR effectiv* OR success*)

Tier 2(Police OR policing OR "law enfor?ement“)

Tier 3("public order" OR riot* OR demon?tration*)

("what works" OR effectiv* OR success*)

AND(Police OR policing OR "law enfor?ement")

AND("public order" OR riot* OR demon?tration*)

("what works" OR effectiv* OR success*) AND (Police OR policing OR "law enfor?ement") AND ("public order" OR riot* OR demon?tration*)

Results

Anywhere = 29364

Title OR Abstract = 800

25

Any Questions?!

26

Contact Details National Police Library

• For further information, or assistance with searching and information retrieval, please contact the National Police Library at:

• National Police LibraryCollege of PolicingBramshill HookHampshireRG27 0JW

• T 01256 602650• E library@college.pnn.police.uk

All rights reserved, no part of this publication may be reproduced, modified, amended, stored in an retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the National Police Library.

27

References

• ADAM Consortium. Boolean searching. ADAM Consortium: Surrey. [Accessed 24 April 2013] http://adam.ac.uk/info/boolean.html• CATONE, J., 2011. How to Use Google Search More Effectively [INFOGRAPHIC]. Mashable. [Accessed 24 June 2013] http://mashable.com/2011/11/24/google-search-infographic/• EBSCO, 2013. EBSCO help: basic search. EBSCO. [Accessed 24 April 2012] http://support.ebsco.com/help/index.php?help_id=50 • Emerald, 2013. Detailed “advanced search” functionality. Emerald Group. [Accessed 10 May 2013] http://www.emeraldinsight.com/help/user/advanced_functionality.htm • IS Oxford, 2013. Heritage: library management software. IS Oxford: Oxford. [Accessed 11 July 2012] http://www.isoxford.com/ • JAKES, T.D., 2005. Naked and not ashamed. Destiny Image: Shippensburg, PA.• Proquest, 2013. ProQuest help: basic search. Proquest LLC. [Accessed 24 April 2013] http://search.proquest.com/help/academic/webframe.html?Basic_Search.html • PROTHROW-STITH, Deborah; SPIVAK, Howard R., 2004. Murder is no accident: understanding and preventing youth violence in America. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.• University Libraries, 2010. Using AND, OR, and NOT (Boolean Operators). University of Nevada: Reno. [Accessed 11 July 2012] http://knowledgecenter.unr.edu/help/using/booltips.aspx#parenthess • User Education Services, 2012. Using Boolean Logic or Connectors. University of Maryland Libraries: Maryland. [Accessed 10 May 2013] http://www.lib.umd.edu/ues/guides/boolean-logic• Westlaw, 2013. Westlaw UK Help - Terms and connectors used on Westlaw UK. Thomson Reuter. [Accesses 23 April 2013] http://login.westlaw.co.uk/