The most basic function you will find in a database is Boolean Searching. Boolean Searching uses AND, OR, & NOT to tell the machine how your keywords should function.
Imagine searching for a pet in a database of an animal shelter. You might do something like this:
dog AND cat = for kids who want a miracle
dog OR cat = for those who aren't sure which pet or have no preference
dog NOT cat = for those allergic to cats
The design of this page was partly adapted from Research: By Course, Subject, or Topic, by University of Arizona Libraries, © 2020 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.