The use of operators as a search strategy in scientific literature reviews

Abstract

Introduction: In view of the exponential increase in the production of scientific knowledge and the notorious need to employ an objective selection, capable of filtering studies that hold the categories of analysis used in scientific research, it appears that the use of different resources of search contribute to the effectiveness of the research carried out. Objective: To present the main Boolean operators and the search terms, exposing how they can be used by researchers, aiming at the quality of scientific production. Material and Method: For this purpose, a bibliographic review was carried out. Literature Review: It is highlighted that: the Boolean operators AND, OR and NOT or AND NOT, are connectors used to combine the search terms of interest; truncation uses special characters, especially the asterisk (*), the dollar sign ($) and the question mark, whose use varies according to the search platform; and the search keywords help in finding materials consistent with the themes investigated insofar as they are constituted from a specific and standardized vocabulary within the scientific environment. Final Considerations: It is suggested that new studies be carried out, where different review methodologies are employed, aiming at expanding the questions.