Advanced Search (Boolean)

Explore how to use Boolean Search to expand or narrow down the scope of searched literature.

Written By Joe Pacal

Last updated 3 months ago

Advanced Keyword Search with Boolean Logic

Sometimes you need an extra level of control during your search—such as searching exact keywords, excluding specific terms, or specifying common synonyms. Wonders' Boolean search mode offers this ability.

Wonders search supports all three Boolean operators: AND, NOT, and OR.

Starting Boolean Search

In any column, click '+ Add keyword group' to begin an advanced search:

Then, use the dropdown at the top of the group to set whether you want to:

  • Include the keyword group ( AND)

  • Exclude it ( NOT)

Example: Pet Nutrition Search

Let’s say you’re searching for pet nutrition focused on dogs, and you want to exclude studies about cats:

Using Synonyms

Literature may use different terms for the same concept. You can include synonymous terms in each group to broaden your coverage—for example, adding "canine" and "feline" to respective groups:

Once you're happy with your keyword group setup, hit Search to see how results and AI analysis adapt.

As with any advanced search, Boolean logic may require some iteration to get ideal results. Fortunately, Wonders saves all your search attempts to the column—they'll still be there when you reopen your project.

You can even run multiple columns with different Boolean setups to see which performs best.

Tip: This makes real-time iteration simple and effortless.

Have questions or feedback? Email us at support@readwonders.com or chat with our team in the app.