Boolean search

Boolean search allows you to filter your search parameters using words such as “AND” or “NOT.”

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Samantha Spiro
Samantha has over seven years of experience as both a content manager and editor. Bringing contact info to life is the name of her game. Some might say she’s a bit ‘SaaS-y.’

Boolean search is a robust technique for refining and optimizing search queries. It enables users to combine keywords and phrases to achieve accurate results from databases, search engines, or digital platforms. By carefully structuring the search inquiry with specific operators or symbols, users can focus on the most relevant data while excluding irrelevant content.

 

An alternative? Natural language search

While Boolean has to do with specific operators, natural language queries allow the entering of questions almost as if one were asking for results. Natural language searches powered by AI-enabled search engines or platforms will give you insight into such information. It will be less specific, though quite user-friendly, in environments where not many people would know much of the search syntax but want a useful result from an accurate perspective.


Data-driven insights for Boolean search 

Boolean search is essential because it allows users to sift through large amounts of data efficiently and retrieve the most relevant information with fewer unnecessary results.

  1. Boolean search increases search reliability by 50-60%, with minimal irrelevant results. 
  2. Practitioners utilizing Boolean search strategies spend up to 50% less time reviewing irrelevant results, particularly regarding recruitment and data research.
  3. Recruiters see a 40% increased success rate in finding quality candidates using Boolean search.
  4. Unlike more straightforward keyword search methods in specific databases, Boolean searches have increased accuracy by 100%.

With AI improving, Boolean search performance might decline in 2025. Though Boolean will still find uses for more specific applications, AI and machine learning will enhance the searches, saving time and dealing with unstructured data.

A word from an expert

Kerina Narainsamy

Junior SaaS Media Consultant @ Empact Partners

With a few well-placed “ANDs,” “ORs,” and “NOTs,” I zero in while ditching the fluff in the dust. Quotation marks? Perfect for exact matches. Parentheses and asterisks? Ideal for digging deeper without losing focus. Boolean logic helps me find exactly what I need – fast.


Boolean searches tap into the mathematical foundation of
“set theory,” originally developed by George Boole in the 1800s. When marketers or recruiters use the “OR” operator between synonyms, they’re actually creating what mathematicians call a “union of sets,” expanding their search pool by up to 40% compared to single-keyword searches. On the other hand, the “AND” operator performs “set intersection,” which can slice through millions of results to find that needle in the digital haystack.

 

Real-world examples 

A group of university students doing a literature review had problems with information overload on academic databases. Searching for “climate change” and “biodiversity” returned thousands of irrelevant papers.

To solve this, they used Boolean search to refine their queries:

 

  • (“climate change” OR “global warming”) AND (“biodiversity” OR “species loss”) NOT (“policy” OR “legislation”)

     

It helped filter results, ensuring that only relevant, peer-reviewed studies appeared. They achieved 50% faster search times, supporting their research goals with more precise citations. 

 

Your actionable tips for Boolean search

  1. Use quotation marks for exact phrases.
  2. Use “AND” to connect terms for more specific results.
  3. Use “NOT” to exclude terms to filter out irrelevant data.
  4. Use “OR” for synonyms or alternatives.
  5. Use parentheses to group terms.
  6. Include the wildcards, such as “*” or “?,” for variant spellings.
  7. Refine your search regularly.

Author

  • Samantha has over seven years of experience as both a content manager and editor. Bringing contact info to life is the name of her game. Some might say she's a bit 'SaaS-y.'

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