Boolean searching (AND, OR, NOT)

Boolean searching allows you to combine search terms using the three Boolean operators AND, OR and NOT. To execute a Boolean search, enter your search terms separated by the Boolean operators you wish to use.

When you transfer more than one search term from a browse index to a search box, Harper's Magazine Online automatically combines them using the Boolean operator OR.

AND

The AND operator retrieves all entries that contain all of the terms entered. This normally retrieves fewer entries than searching one of the terms on its own.

For example:
For example:

If you wish to search for the word 'and' in a phrase (and therefore do not want it to be a Boolean operator) you should type the phrase into the search box and enclose it in double quotes. For example "women and politics" will find the whole phrase 'women and politics'.

OR

The OR operator retrieves all entries which contain one or more of the terms entered. This retrieves more entries than searching one of the terms on its own.

For example:
For example:

If you wish to search for the word 'or' in a phrase (and therefore do not want it to be a Boolean operator) you should type the phrase into the search box and enclose it in double quotes. For example: "women or politics" will find the whole phrase 'women or politics'.

NOT

The NOT operator retrieves all entries that contain the first term entered but not the second.

For example:

If you wish to search for the word 'not' in a phrase (and therefore do not want it to be a Boolean operator) you should type the phrase into the search box and enclose it in double quotes. For example: "women not politics" will find the whole phrase 'women not politics'.