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Web of Science: Search Tools

Search Tools

Web of Science recognizes several different search operators and wildcards. You can incorporate these into your search strategies in order to refine and customize your search.

Search Operators

AND: Citations retrieved include all of the terms.

Using AND will retrieve fewer results because both terms must be present in the citation.

Example: e-coli AND salmonella

Venn diagram visualizing boolean operation for e-coli AND salmonella. The center of the venn diagram is filled in because this search finds both terms

 

OR: Citations retrieved include either term.

Using OR will retrieve more results because either term can be present in the citation.

Example: anorexia OR bulimia

Venn diagram visualizing boolean operation for anorexia OR bulimia. The entire venn diagram is filled in because this search finds either term or both terms

 

NOT: Will exclude a term from your search.

Use NOT with caution as it may exclude relevant results.

Example: mutation NOT frameshift

Venn diagram visualizing boolean operation for mutation NOT frameshift. The left side of the venn digram is filled in because the search is finding mutation, but excluding frameshift completely

 

NEAR/n: Will find records containing all terms within a certain number of words (n) of each other.

Example: cancer NEAR/3 breast

Wildcards

Web of Science uses several built-in wildcard characters that help you search for variations on a word or phrase.

The asterisk (*) represents any group of characters, including no character.

  • Example: educat* will retrieve education, educator, educational, educated, etc.

The question mark (?) represents any single character.

  • Example: wom?n will retrieve woman or women

The dollar sign ($) represents zero or one character.

  • Example: behavio$r will retrieve behavior or behaviour

Wildcards will work at the beginning, middle, or end of a word in Web of Science and can also be used in phrases enclosed in quotation marks.