Operators

• "not" or "and not" or "but not" or "-"

Usage

• These "exclusion" operators limit the size of the results of a search by excluding records that have irrelevant information.

Example

• Searching for horses not cows.

• Only "horses" (on the left) would be included in the results. The green area (horses and cows) would not be included.

Warning

• Use the "not" operator carefully. You may exclude records that have important information that you want
  • Example:
    • If
      • You are seeking information on a certain disease in horses, and
      • You eliminate any records that have horses and cows on it by entering "horses not cows,"
    • Then
      • You might eliminate records that contain material about the disease in both horses and cows.