Syntax search: Combining keywords

Link 

Meaning

and, AND

All keywords must appear: 

• Schiller AND Goethe 
• Schiller and Goethe 

The search finds all publications in which both “Schiller” and “Goethe” appear.

or, OR

At least one of the keywords must appear:

•    Schiller OR Goethe

•    Schiller or Goethe

The search finds publications in which either “Schiller” or “Goethe” appear or in which both appear. 

NEAR 

The NEAR function can be used to find documents that contain two or more specified keywords or phrases.

In addition, these keywords must be in the same text field and may not be more than a specified number of words apart. However, the order in which the keywords appear in the text is arbitrary. 

The NEAR function is formulated as follows for a search:

NEAR.k (KEYWORD.1, KEYWORD.2, … KEYWORD.n)

In the first form, the parameter k is used to specify the maximum distance between each of the keywords. The parameter k must have a value of at least 1. 

NEAR (KEYWORD 1, KEYWORD 2, … KEYWORD n) 

In the second form, the parameter k is omitted. Instead, a default value of 8 is assumed as the maximum distance between the listed words. 

The keywords are separated by commas. Phrases do not need to be enclosed in quotation marks.

Examples:  

The phrases SAM SAMPLES and BARACK OBAMA must be no more than 8 words apart (default value):

• NEAR (SAM SAMPLES, BARACK OBAMA) 

In the articles found, the four specified keywords must be contained within the same article area and be no more than 30 words apart: 

• NEAR.30 (SAMPLES, OBAMA, ELLEN, JAMES)

Note: Keywords that contain a full stop must be enclosed in double inverted commas when using NEAR, e.g. “U.S.”. This also applies to exact searches with single inverted commas, e.g. ‘U.S.’.

not, NOT 

A keyword must not appear: 

•    Schiller not Goethe 

•    Schiller and not Goethe 

Publications are found in which “Schiller” appears, but not “Goethe”. 

If the word “not” is to be found, it must be enclosed in double inverted commas:

•    “not”

Note: To exclude an expression, use NOT only in conjunction with AND. The use of OR NOT is not desirable in most cases and leads to a very high number of hits.

Incorrect usage:

•    Schiller or not Goethe

Media containing “Schiller” are found, as well as all publications that do not contain “Goethe”, regardless of whether the keyword “Schiller” appears in these media.

Search

Result 

Poets and Schiller or Goethe 

• Articles containing the words “poets” and “Schiller” are found. 
• Articles containing the word “Goethe” are found. 
• Articles containing all three words are found.

Poets and (Schiller or Goethe) 

• Articles containing the words “poets” and “Schiller” are found. 
• Articles containing the words “poets” and “Goethe” are found. 
• Articles containing all three words are found.

Poets and not (Schiller or Goethe) 

• Articles are found in which the word “poets” appears, but the words “Schiller” and “Goethe” do not appear.