This video will demonstrate how to use controlled vocabulary within the CINAHL database.
This is an excellent video from the University of Dayton demonstrating how to use subject heading in the PsychINFO database (skip to :35 to get into the content).
This a good introduction to using controlled vocabulary and thesis options in PsycINFO.
Boolean connectors are AND, NOT, and OR. Here is an example:
See this visual explanation of Boolean Searching from Nicholls State University.
Boolean Operators help you define the set of results you want the database to show you.
AND - displays results that have both the terms searched for.
Example: cat AND dog will bring up results for books and articles that have both "cat" and "dog." This is a narrower search. If you have 15 items (5 cat, 5 dog, 5 cat and dog), this search will result in 5 titles.
OR - displays results that have at least one of the terms searched for.
Example: cat OR dog will bring up results for books and articles that have either "cat" or "dog." This is a broader search. If you have 15 items (5 cat, 5 dog, 5 cat and dog), this search will result in 15 titles.
NOT - a way of excluding something. The order of words is important: the term that comes after NOT is what is excluded.
Example: cat NOT dog will bring up results for books and articles that have "cat" but excludes results that have "dog." This is a narrower search. If you have 15 items (5 cat, 5 dog, 5 cat and dog), this search will result in 5 titles.