Web Search Evaluation & Citation

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Course Background
   2. Prepare to Search
   3. Search Examples
2. Learn
   1. Searching
   2. Subject Guides
   3. Subject Guides Example
   4. Web Directories
   5. Web Directories Example
   6. Search Engines
   7. Search Engine Example
   8. MetaSearch Engines
   9. MetaSearch Engine Example
   10. Preparing to Search
   11. Think about your topic
   12. List Search Terms
   13. Communicating with Search Tools
   14. Search Operator: AND
   15. Search Operator: OR
   16. Search Operator: NOT
   17. Advanced Searches
   18. Evaluation
   19. Finding Information
   20. Validating Sources
   21. Using Alexa
   22. Using Wayback Machine
   23. Using Search Engines
   24. Citation
   25. Online Citation Tools
   26. Starting Noodle Tools
   27. Using Noodle
   28. Using Citation Machine
   29. Using Source Aid
3. Practice
   1. Searching
   2. Evaluation
   3. Citation
4. Discuss
   1. WikiSpaces Discussion
5. Reflect & Assess
6. Collaborate & Contribute
   1. Feedback
7. Extend

Search Operator: NOT

NOT

Combining search terms with the NOT operator narrows a search by excluding unwanted terms. To find information on John Adams but not the Samuel Adams use:

John Adams NOT Samuel Adams

The diagram illustrates the search by retrieving documents including the keyword John Adams (left circle) and excluding documents with the term Samuel Adams (right circle). Retrieved documents are shown in the red shaded area.

Boolean search terms may be combined in various ways to carefully refine searches. Examples:

oceans OR lakes AND pollution

nurses AND malpractice NOT doctors

children NOT infants AND psychology