1. Boolean Searching on the Internet

2. The internet is a vast computer database.
Its contents must be searched according to the rules of computer database searching.
Much database searching is based on the principles of Boolean logic.
Boolean logic refers to the logical relationship among search terms.
Boolean logic is named for the British-born Irish mathematician George Boole.

3. Boolean logic consists of three logical operators:
AND
NOT

4. OR: Most commonly used to search for synonymous terms or concepts
OR: Most commonly used to search for synonymous terms or concepts. Retrieves all the records containing one term, the other term, or both of them.
AND: Retrieves records in which BOTH of the search terms are present.
NOT: Retrieves records in which ONLY ONE of the terms is present. Ex-cats NOT dogs

5. Quotation Marks 
This operator uses phrase searching. It actually NARROWS your search by looking for the phrase in the quotation marks, instead of each individual word.

6. “Riverwood Middle School”
Possible search string (syntax):
“Riverwood Middle School”
If you don’t use the quotation marks, then you will get results for Riverwood and Middle and School, which will be a great number of results.

7. AND (plus sign)
This operator combines the individual words (terms) in order to create a more specific search. It actually NARROWS your search.

8. Possible search strings (or syntax):
cats AND dogs
Some search engines use a plus (+) sign instead of the word AND.
Cats + dogs 

9. OR
This operator combines possible synonyms of the individual words in order to create a wider search. It actually BROADENS your search.

10. Possible search strings (or syntax):
(films OR movies OR motion pictures)

11. NOT  (minus sign)
This operator limits (reduces) your search results by excluding specific terms. It actually NARROWS your search in a very specific way.

12. Possible search string (syntax):
dolphins NOT football
Some search engines use the minus sign (-) instead of the word NOT.
Dolphins - football

13. Combining Boolean Syntax
Combine Syntax to narrow your results even more.

14. Possible search strings (or syntax):
(strawberry OR banana) AND pie AND “low fat”
“Washington, DC” AND map

15. VENN Diagrams