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Boolean Searching in Legal Databases: *, !, ?

How to build and use Boolean search terms in legal databases in order to find documents matching specific criteria

Video on Truncators and Wild Cards

Truncators, Wildcards, and Expanders

Truncators, wildcards, and expanders are symbols that can be used replace letters within words.  Some of the most common are *, !, and ?

*

Can be used as a wildcard letter.  For instance, lo*n finds both loan and loon.

In Lexis * can be used as a root expander (see ! below), and to fill in any number of letters.  For instance, with Lexis, lo*n will find London as well as loan and loon.

!

Can be used as a root expander.  For instance impl! finds imply, implication, implied, and implode.

?

In Lexis is a single wildcard letter. Lo?n only finds loan and loon, not London.

Does not work in Westlaw