Should I use NOT or the Exclude button?

The Exclude function has more stringent effects, whereas NOT allows more targeted exclusion.

When to use the Exclude button:

• In ‘document’ categories only, like ongoing research, projects, trials, patents, publications, news.
• Add single terms or phrases, and the results containing those will be removed.

When to use the NOT operator in a query:

• In Profile categotries, like Research Groups, Researchers and Companies
• See above how to use NOT in a search query

Difference when using NOT vs Exclude in a profile category:

For example: in Researchers

• “gene editing” NOT cancer: 113.815 researchers (Aug 5, 2025) = Researchers active on gene editing and who don’t mention ‘cancer’ in any gene editing publication, patents, grants, trials…
• “gene editing” (and add via Exclude cancer): 33951 researchers (Aug 5, 2025) = Researchers active on gene editing and who don’t mention ‘cancer’ in any (even unrelated) publication, patents, grants, trials… This basically excludes all researchers who every communicated something about cancer.

How can I use search operators?