Boolean Terms Refresher
Many folks learn to use search engines like Google, Yahoo, or even Westlaw and Lexis in a way that uses short phrases or average language sentences. The results these searches provide may not be specific enough or could be too broad and provide too many examples. At its core, a Boolean search operator is the utilization of logical combinations that represent relationships between terms, often words like “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT,” to link terms in specific ways.
Using “AND” in a Search
AND is used similarly to the way it is in the English language: to tell the search engine specifically that you want your search to include all the things you are asking for. For example, if you are looking for the ethical rules pertaining to client communication for attorneys in Montana, your search might look like “ethics AND client communication AND Montana” as a starting point. Based on the results you get from the search, it can be refined or modified.
Although some search engines, like Google, automatically apply AND as a direction for a search when the space is used between search terms, that does not mean the AND will be located in the place you want in your search or yield the result you want.
Including “OR” in a Search
Many young attorneys have been in a position where they aren’t exactly sure what kind of phrase or search might yield the best result, so using OR may be an appropriate Boolean term. Consider the beginning of an assignment in which you have been tasked with learning about what types of problems might arise when a real property transaction has been recorded with different mistakes in the original recording. Some problems may be minor, and some may be major. If you’re unsure where to begin, a search phrase such as “property recording dispute OR property recording mistake” may be an appropriate place to start, giving search results that provide one or both of those terms.
Utilizing “NOT” in a Search
Once you get into the depths of legal research, the same case, phrase, or issue that is unrelated to the project or may have already been reviewed may keep popping up. Utilizing NOT, or simply the minus sign before a word, could be handy in this situation.
If a researcher wanted information about local laws pertaining to a maximum penalty for driving under the influence (DUI) in a case that is specific to alcohol, but a case or article pertaining to a recent DUI case involving marijuana kept coming up in their search, the appropriate phrase might look something like “alcohol driving under the influence NOT marijuana” or “alcohol DUI -marijuana” to narrow the results and remove unwanted matters.
Some Less Common Boolean Tools
Different search engines may include some specialized terms that only apply to them, but many still have some lesser-known yet commonly applied Boolean search options. Some examples include:
- AROUND, NEAR, or WITHIN (x)—This indicates to a search engine that you are looking for two terms within a certain number (represented by x) of words from each other. An example could include “‘settlement agreement’ AROUND (3) trademark,” which indicates that settlement agreement and trademark need to be within three phrases of each other in all results shown.
- SENTENCE—This can be utilized to specifically find two phrases that are within the same sentence as each other. For example, “trademark SENTENCE warranty” would produce search results with both words within one sentence.
- (asterisk)—Including an asterisk within your search is useful when you may be looking for multiple versions of one word; “liab*” will be able to yield your search for “liable” and “liability.”
There are still many more useful Boolean operations that can be utilized. A simple search of your preferred platform will provide many useful results.
Combine Boolean Terms for Best Results
All of the connecting phrases included here can and should be utilized together. Including “Boolean AND operators OR terms -definition” in a search may be a quick and easy search to succinctly cover my desire to learn more about Boolean operators and terms while bypassing websites that give me a simple definition of what they are.
One final trick when combining phrases is using parenthesis ( ) as part of a combined search. Consider a situation when you are researching to look for local state rules for contract law that mention mediation or litigation. Your search could look like: “(mediation OR litigation) AND Georgia AND contract,” in which case the search would refine to articles or decisions about articles or cases in Georgia concerning contracts involving either mediation or litigation within one search.
Although many young lawyers learned about Boolean operations and terms in a legal research class during law school, for most, it was a small blip in their three years there. A quick reminder of the use and efficiency of such tools is always handy to keep in a mental drawer and ultimately makes research much easier.
