Teacher-Focused workshop
Title of Lesson:
Understanding and applying boolean logic
Summary:
This session will define, explain, and demonstrate the use of boolean logic
in online searching. The MEDLINE database and clinical examples will be
used to illustrate appropriate application of AND, OR, and NOT for simple
and complex search strategy development.
Objectives
Students will be able to
- Define AND, OR, EXPLODE, NOT
- Describe appropriate use of AND, OR, EXPLODE, NOT
- Identify and correct inappropriate use of AND, OR, EXPLODE, NOT
- Be aware of other logical operators ADJ, XOR, NEAR, WITH
- Given a searchable question, create a search strategy which uses boolean operators appropriately
Outline of topics
Activities
- Recite definitions of AND, OR, NOT, EXPLODE while showing the definitions on screen
- Show screens with venn diagram illustrations of AND, OR, NOT, EXPLODE
- Provide a sheet of 20 examples, 5 each for each of the main operatorsGo over one example of each, then go around the room asking each student to respond to a question
- Demonstrate a search about happiness and happy things among students and teachers of all types
- Demonstrate a search by letting the students guide the choice of words and logic on the topic of any and every orthopedic injury which has occurred during sports, travel, and similar group or individual activities
- Describe special operators by distributing a SEARCH STRATEGY which shows the narrowing specificity and fewer and fewer results by using NEAR, WITH, and ADJACENCY
Evaluation
Distribute a five-question paper-based quiz with one question each for AND,
OR, NOT, EXPLODE and one question related to the additional operators
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