Using Operators in Your Search Query

When entering your search query, you can define relationships between terms using operators. There are two types of operators you can use: Boolean and Positional.

Boolean Operators

Boolean operators such as AND, OR, or NOT can be used to combine words in search terms.

Using the words "waste" and "toxic" as a search query to illustrate:

Waste AND toxic searches for regulation text which contain both the words waste AND toxic. Any of the Boolean operators can be used when creating search terms. 

Waste OR toxic retrieves all regulation text in which both waste OR toxic occur.

Waste NOT toxic retrieves all regulation text in which both waste NOT toxic occur.

Positional Operators

Positional operators such as ADJ and NEAR search regulation text based on the relative position of the search term. This provides more precise searches than are possible with Boolean operators alone.

Using the words "waste" and "toxic" as a search query to illustrate:

Toxic ADJ waste searches for regulation text in which the word waste follows the word toxic. Any of the Positional operators can be used when creating search terms.

Toxic NEAR waste retrieves all regulation text in which the words toxic and waste occur next to each other, but in either order.

toxic NEAR3 waste retrieves all regulation text in which the word toxic appears within three words of waste.

To simplify your searches, the positional operator ADJ is set as the default operator. In other words, the search uses the positional operator ADJ if no other operator (AND, OR, NOT, NEAR) is specified, allowing you to enter a search statement without using ADJ to search for two (or more) adjacent words.

For example, toxic waste searches for regulatory text in which the word waste immediately follows the word toxic.