How To: Narrow Search Results using Search Operators.
Identify what search operators can be used in Atomic Search and how to best use them.
In addition to general search commands, Atomic Search supports more complex searches using the operators below. Each performs a different function, letting you broaden or narrow your results as needed.
| Operator | Syntax | Example | What it finds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyword | text |
strategy |
Items containing "strategy" or a variant (e.g., "when looking at strategy"). |
| Exact match | "…" (quotation marks) |
"leadership characteristics" |
Items containing exactly that phrase. Matches: "common leadership characteristics." No match: "common characteristics of leadership." |
| AND / Required terms | AND, or + placed directly before each required term |
biology AND science or +technology +quiz |
Items containing all specified terms. Matches: "The technology quiz is due next Friday." No match: "The technology module starts tomorrow." |
| OR | | (pipe) |
quiz | test |
Items containing "quiz" or "test." |
| NOT | NOT, or - attached directly to the term (no space) |
geometry NOT rubric or geometry -rubric |
Items containing "geometry" but not "rubric." Matches: "geometry module." No match: "geometry assignment rubric." |
| Wildcard | * |
Bio* |
Items containing "Bio" and words starting with "Bio" (e.g., "Biology," "Bioscience"). |
| Hyperlink | url: |
url:youtube |
Items containing a YouTube URL (e.g., "https://youtube.com/…"). |
| Slop | "phrase"~<integer> |
"illustrated paintings"~2 |
Items containing the phrase within the specified word deviation. Matches: "illustrated over 100 paintings," "illustrated ten paintings." No match: "illustrated over 100 new paintings" (deviates by 3, not 2). |