I think we have to tailor our examples to our audience. It partly depends on their attitude to Maths. Some of them will turn off and go into “I don’t understand” mode when presented with a Venn diagram.

When I train Anaesthetics Registrars I use a Venn diagram of anaesthesia on one side and analgesia on the other. No problems.

However, when I train someone who is, for example, doing an NVQ and not terribly happy with mathematical concepts I tend to use the shopping analogy from the Colchester Library blog (that I have mentioned before on this list).

It’s all about being sensitive to your audience, rather than “one size fits all”.

By the way, a very useful phrase someone told me was to remember that “OR is more”.

 

Regards

Tricia Rey
Library Services Manager
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East Grinstead
Tel: 01342 414266
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From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Norrey Barbara (5PX) Mid Essex PCT
Sent: 11 May 2010 14:48
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: using everyday concepts to explain Boolean operators

 

Without wishing to be a killjoy - should we not be giving our trainees a little more credit ?

 

Surely the only point that needs to be made is that AND combines and focuses (retrieving only when both words appear) and that OR has a wider scope (retrieving when both or either one appears).  

 

Does it really matter whether the items are saucepans and lids, tomatoes or peppers, hats/nurses/pizzas/hospitals.....and so on ? It is the singularity and the plurality that matter.

 

It is surely not that difficult a concept to explain that searching anywhere for 2 things 'together' (x and y) will probably retrieve smaller results than looking for items either 'together' or 'apart' (x or y) ?!

 

best Barbara

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Veronica Murray
Sent: 11 May 2010 13:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: using everyday concepts to explain Boolean operators

On the other hand, there are fewer shops selling “hats and shoes” than there are shops selling  “hats” or “shoes”, so if you wanted to buy hats and shoes in a single trip [search], you would first have to look for shops selling both.

Veronica Murray

Subject Librarian (Health, Midwifery and Nursing)

University of the West of Scotland

Paisley Campus

Paisley PA1 2BE

 

0141 848 3760

[log in to unmask]

 

From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jonathan Dews
Sent: 11 May 2010 13:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: using everyday concepts to explain Boolean operators

 

Dear All

 

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how you can use everyday concepts to explain Boolean operators. If you search for 'teenagers and obesity' you get fewer results than if you search for 'teenagers' or 'obesity' separately. However if you buy hats and shoes you get more in your shopping bag and if you mix gin and tonic you get more liquid in the glass.

I still can't see a better method than using the standard venn diagrams.

 

Jonathan Dews


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