#boolean operators

[feralnightwing]

that programming midterm..... ykw no im not gonna put myself down. i did pretty good for someone who had to catch up on 2 chapters in 1 night. but also wtf is a boolean operator

[needtricks-blog]

Dig Deeper: Mastering Google Advanced Search for Hidden Gems

Mastering Google Advanced Search for Hidden Gems. Google: the go-to giant for finding anything under the sun (and beyond!). But are you tapping its full potential? While a simple keyword search gets you basic results, there’s a hidden world of precision waiting to be unlocked – the realm of Google Advanced Search. Continue reading Untitled

[trendingnow3-blog]

Day-2: Mastering Python Data Types and String Manipulation: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners

Day-2: Python Boot Camp 2023

1. Introduction to Python Data Types Data types are an essential concept in programming languages, including Python. They define the type of data a variable can hold, which influences the operations that can be performed on it. Python is a dynamically-typed language, meaning variables can change data types during execution. Understanding data types is crucial as it helps in efficient memory…

[goldengodcannibal]

my concept and general existence of gender doesn't exist but i'll watch or see something that just roots me firmly in loving being a gay man

[evil-jennifer-hamilton-wb]

Considering murder because i'm in google looking for a diagram of a lipopolysaccharide in the gram negative bacterial cell wall.

And google is like "did you mean polysaccharide?" and it only displays polysaccharides in the search results.

And so I go and I make the search term "lipopolysaccharide" in quotations. and it says "did you mean "polysaccharide"?"

And I understand I could search for endotoxin but it's the principle of the thing I want the search engine to search the word I give it! not something approximate! Google should consider the concept that LPSs exist, and putting search terms in quotations should work!

so when the google servers are destroyed tomorrow in an arson attack at 2PM GMT+8, It wasn't me that did it but I really wish it was.

[rarilee33]

annoyed with the assumption that all younger ppl use google (even in uni). Like no I don't want to use the mega giant that fucking steals every aspect of you ffs plus everything about its operation is terrible. Give me some boolean operator advanced search proquest shit and promote information literacy

[allalrightagain]

I'm a bad IT professional and have continued to use google as a search engine mostly out of prejudice for what duckduckgo was when it first started. However, I am not too proud to admit when I'm wrong, and duckduckgo has just done in one search what google has been convincing me for three and a half days was impossible.

brb changing my default search engine everywhere.

[dragonomatopoeia]

idk maybe somewhere out there someone's still operating a kissing booth. where i grew up we still bobbed for apples and had cakewalks. i played spin the bottle. who am i to say that the kissing booth is dead. well it would be easier to know if there wasn't a very popular netflix movie that makes it impossible to search for the answer but alas

[friendofthecrows]

I wish platforms that either 1. give recommendations or 2. display a lot of aggregate data/products/posts based on "relevance" or "featured" would discuss how their algorithm works. I need to know what factors actually go into this calculation and how it is actually weighted.

[lazaefair]

I also really like that the protagonists' learning process for these hacks very much includes receiving and/or passing along information in meatspace. We lament the slow disappearance of specialized forums and subreddits for finding people who've tackled the problem before, and that DOES suck, but the next step isn't to give up searching. It's to go from passive searching on the Internet to actively asking around - online and offline. A reference librarian has research experience and database access you don't have. A professor/instructor at your local university or community college would love to infodump on anyone who seems interested in their obscure knowledge niche. Your fellow hobbyists are a rich source of knowledge, especially for when the problem involves messing with hardware and it's just easier to show each other in-person. And so on, and so on.

[pileofpawns]

spent a good 20 minutes yesterday daydreaming about what a hypothetical personal website for myself would look like

[robertseanblog]

The Beginner's Guide to Boolean Search Operators

In today's digital age, information overload is a common challenge. With vast amounts of data available at our fingertips, finding relevant information efficiently has become increasingly crucial. This is where Boolean search operators come into play.

Whether you're a student researching for a paper, a professional seeking specific data, or simply a curious individual browsing the web, mastering Boolean search operators can significantly enhance your search capabilities. 

In this beginner's guide, we'll delve into what Boolean search operators are, how they work, and how you can use them effectively to streamline your online searches.

Understanding Boolean Search Operators

Boolean search operators are special terms or symbols used to connect and define the relationships between keywords when conducting searches. These operators are named after George Boole, a 19th-century mathematician whose work laid the foundation for modern computer science and logic. By using Boolean operators, you can create more precise and targeted search queries, resulting in more relevant search results.

The three primary Boolean operators are AND, OR, and NOT. Let's explore each of them:

AND: This operator narrows down your search results by requiring all specified keywords to be present in the results. For example, if you're searching for articles related to both "artificial intelligence" and "machine learning," you would use the "AND" operator to ensure that only articles containing both terms are returned.

OR: Unlike the "AND" operator, the "OR" operator broadens your search by including results that contain either of the specified keywords. For instance, if you're interested in reading about either "virtual reality" or "augmented reality," you would use the "OR" operator to retrieve articles containing either term.

NOT: The "NOT" operator excludes specific keywords from your search results. It's particularly useful for refining your search and eliminating irrelevant information. For example, if you're researching "climate change" but want to exclude any articles related to politics, you could use the "NOT" operator to filter out political content.

Practical Examples

Let's illustrate how these Boolean operators work with a few practical examples:

Example 1: Search Query: artificial intelligence AND robotics Result: This query will return articles or resources that contain both the terms "artificial intelligence" and "robotics," providing information specifically related to the intersection of these two fields.

Example 2: Search Query: virtual reality OR augmented reality Result: This query will retrieve articles or resources that include either "virtual reality" or "augmented reality," broadening the scope of the search to encompass both technologies.

Example 3: Search Query: climate change NOT politics Result: This query will exclude any articles or resources that mention politics in the context of climate change, allowing for a more focused exploration of scientific or environmental aspects.

Advanced Techniques

In addition to the basic Boolean operators, there are more advanced techniques you can use to further refine your searches:

Parentheses: Parentheses can be used to group terms and control the order of operations in complex search queries. For example, (artificial intelligence OR machine learning) AND robotics ensures that articles related to either artificial intelligence or machine learning, in conjunction with robotics, are returned.

Quotation Marks: Quotation marks are handy for searching for exact phrases. If you're looking for a specific term or phrase, enclose it in quotation marks to ensure that the search engine retrieves results containing the exact phrase rather than individual words.

Wildcard (*): The asterisk (*) serves as a wildcard character that represents any number of characters in a search query. For instance, "data * techniques" will return results containing phrases like "data mining techniques," "data analysis techniques," etc.

Synonyms: Incorporating synonyms into your search queries can expand your search results. For example, if you're researching renewable energy, you might include synonyms like "sustainable energy" or "clean energy" to capture a broader range of resources.

Tips for Effective Searches

To maximize the effectiveness of your searches using Boolean operators, consider the following tips:

Be Specific: Clearly define your search objectives and choose keywords that accurately represent the information you're seeking.

Experiment: Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations of Boolean operators and search terms to refine your results.

Use Advanced Search Options: Many search engines offer advanced search options that allow you to specify Boolean operators and other parameters directly.

Review Search Results: Always review the search results to ensure they meet your criteria. If necessary, adjust your search query accordingly.

Conclusion

Mastering Boolean search operators is a valuable skill that can significantly enhance your ability to find relevant information online. By understanding how to use AND, OR, and NOT operators effectively, as well as employing advanced techniques like parentheses and wildcards, you can refine your searches and access the information you need more efficiently.

[lookitthefuckup]

In my personal experience, DuckDuckGo is not as effective as Google (completely ignores boolean operators, for example) but its ethics are solid. I am super excited to hear about searchmysite tho! No ads? Excellent.

I’m sorry friends, but “just google it” is no longer viable advice. What are we even telling people to do anymore, go try to google useful info and the first three pages are just ads for products that might be the exact opposite of what the person is trying to find but The Algorithm thinks the words are related enough? And if it’s not ads it’s just sponsored websites filled with listicles, just pages and pages of “TOP FIFTEEN [thing you googled] IMAGINED AS DISNEY PRINCESSES” like… what are we even doing anymore, google? I can no longer use you as shorthand for people doing real and actual helpful research on their own.

[gemsmain]

Ran several troubleshooting tasks through the console, and it felt exactly like this meme

[jstor]

Searching best practices on JSTOR

Hi Tumblr researchers,

As promised, we're going to dive into some best practices for searching on JSTOR. This'll be a long one!

The first thing to note is that JSTOR is not Google, so searches should not be conducted in the same way.

More on that in this video:

Basic Search on JSTOR

To search for exact phrases, enclose the words within quotation marks, like "to be or not to be".

To construct a more effective search, utilize Boolean operators, such as "tea trade" AND china.

Advanced Searching on JSTOR

Utilize the drop-down menus to refine your search parameters, limiting them to the title, author, abstract, or caption text.

Combine search terms using Boolean operators like AND/OR/NOT and NEAR 5/10/25. The NEAR operator finds keyword combinations within 5, 10, or 25 words of each other. It applies only when searching for single keyword combinations, such as "cat NEAR 5 dog," but not for phrases like "domesticated cat" NEAR 5 dog.

Utilize the "Narrow by" options to search for articles exclusively, include/exclude book reviews, narrow your search to a specific time frame or language.

To focus your article search on specific disciplines and titles, select the appropriate checkboxes. Please note that discipline searching is currently limited to journal content, excluding ebooks from the search.

Finding Content You Have Access To

To discover downloadable articles, chapters, and pamphlets for reading, you have the option to narrow down your search to accessible content. Simply navigate to the Advanced Search page and locate the "Select an access type" feature, which offers the following choices:

All Content will show you all of the relevant search results on JSTOR, regardless of whether or not you can access it.

Content I can access will show you content you can download or read online. This will include Early Journal Content and journals/books publishers have made freely available.

Once you've refined your search, simply select an option that aligns with your needs and discover the most relevant items. Additionally, you have the option to further narrow down your search results after conducting an initial search. Look for this option located below the "access type" checkbox, situated at the bottom left-hand side of the page.

Additional resources

For more search recommendations, feel free to explore this page on JSTOR searching. There, you will find information on truncation, wildcards, and proximity, using fields, and metadata hyperlinks.