Which of the following best describes how Boolean operators work?

The answer highlights a fundamental principle of how Boolean operators function in search logic. Specifically, when using the operator AND, the search narrows down the results by including only those items that contain all the specified terms. For instance, if you search for "cats AND dogs," you will only retrieve documents that mention both cats and dogs, thus limiting the number of potential results.

Conversely, the operator OR expands the search parameters by including results that contain any of the terms involved. For example, a search for "cats OR dogs" will bring back documents that contain either cats, dogs, or both, increasing the number of results.

Understanding the distinct roles of these operators is crucial for effective search strategies, particularly in library science and information retrieval, as it allows users to refine their searches according to their specific needs and achieve more relevant results.