Understanding How Databases Work Essay

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All databases comprise of records described by search engines used in searching these records or data. While search engines appear to differ, the underlying principles of database searching and strategies are common. The first principle argues that before an individual begins to search for any information, he/she should develop a search strategy. This involves brainstorming about the keyword to be used (Ullman, 2011). It is imperative to take into account possible synonyms such as automobile and car, alternative spelling like labor and labor, organization and organization, and plurals. The second principle applies to people searching for older materials. This principle requires researchers to consider changes in terminologies. This could be because of developing complex vocabularies and modifying them into appropriate languages.

The Boolean principle stems from the George Boole who focused in writing about a principle designed to elicit better search results through the formulation of precise queries. This principle is sometimes known as the calculus of thought. The Boolean principle is rooted on this thought and its operators: NOT, AND, and/or applied in linking phrases to obtain precise searches (Ullman, 2011). The Boolean principle is helps researchers to define and focus their searches. The three aspects of this principle are essential in the narrowing and broadening search results. It is an important concept to learn because its three aspects are integral in effectively searching electronic databases, library catalogues and the internet.

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"AND" helps in narrowing a search as all terms ought to be present in every search. This principle limits a search by demanding that all terms after and before "AND" must be present in the article for it to be retrieved in the search process. For example, a researcher must type children AND eating disorder to generate results that refer to both children and eating disorder (Ullman, 2011).

"OR" helps to widen a search as every hit contains either term. This principle can expand a search by demanding that the search phrases after and before it must appear within the article for it to be retrieved during the search process (Ullman, 2011). For instance, a researcher could type adrenaline OR epinephrine to generate results referring to adrenaline and epinephrine. This principle is useful when a researcher can describe a term in multiple ways and will obtain findings that contain both terms.

"NOT" is used to narrow a search through excluding data containing the specified words. The Boolean principle NOT additionally limits a search by demanding that the search term after NOT should not be present within the article in the process of searching, for instance, obesity NOT hypertension.

The "Thesaurus Principle" states that when a researcher encounters a database including a thesaurus, the researcher must make use of it. Running a search on a thesaurus of a database could….....

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