Feature Focus: How Do You Use Precise Search?

We all use the search bar every day, but are you finding exactly what you’re looking for?

The Precise Search mode in Logos is a powerhouse tool designed to help you zero in on specific words and phrases with incredible accuracy. It moves beyond a simple keyword search by using special commands, or "operators," to refine your results.

For example, you can:

Find an exact phrase by wrapping it in "quotation marks". This is perfect when you're looking for "love of God" and not just results that contain 'love' and 'God' somewhere in the same article.
Find words near each other using proximity search. Jesus WITHIN 5 WORDS pray will find every instance where "Jesus" appears within 5 words of "pray," in any order!
Combine or exclude terms using AND, OR, and AND NOT.

These operators can transform your study, helping you find connections and references you might have otherwise missed. But the best tips always come from the community...

How do you use Precise Search in your study?

What’s your most-used search operator? Do you have a favorite "power query" that helped you unlock a new insight in a passage?

Share your tips and tricks below!

New to Precise Search? You can learn more about all the operators and how to use them here: How Do I Search in Logos

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Comments

Graham Criddle

One thing I found really interesting sometime ago - when looking at the relationships between the different persons of the Trinity - was thinking about how they act in relationship. This led me to think about times when one was the subject and the other was the object of a sentence.

And I did complete the set - where the Holy Spirit was the subject - but not showing it here to avoid everything getting too cramped!

Dr. Nathan Parker

I use precise search for areas I don't need to use Smart Search. A few ways I've heavily used it:

Scripture reference NEAR a topic in my Theology books
Same search as above but in my Theological Journals
When I've needed to find specific information from sermon content such as the Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (I'll search on a term he's said or a term I need to search for)

Doc B

I use PS much more than SS because I find SS to be immature and don't fully trust it. ("Immature" in a technical sense.)

I'm coming along, but will test it at every step until it matures and I'm comfortable to use it without checking everything.

Dr. Nathan Parker

I also use LargeText and Heading Searches in Theology books and Journals. Helps to uncover some rich info.