PsyArXiv is hosted on the Open Science Framework (OSF) platform, and over the years their interface and search syntax has changed. Guidance on how to search is a snapshot in time. Presently, the search functionality allows users to tailor a search strategy to strive for recall or precision. Users could go directly to the PsyArXiv repository or search all OSF hosted preprints and (if desired) limit to PsyArXiv as a provider.
Some functions that could be used by searchers include boolean operators, nesting, truncation, fuzzy matching, phrasing, and filtering (post-query refinement). These functions are described in the table below.
| Function | Description | OSF Functionality* | Examples |
| Boolean search | Using AND, OR, NOT in compound queries | + serves as the AND operator | (pipe or vertical bar) serves as the OR operator – (hyphen) serves as the NOT operator | resilience + anxiety biomarker | biological marker ASD – Acute Stress Disorder |
| Nesting | Facilitates order of operations with compound queries | () Parentheses | (biomarker | biological marker) + violence |
| Truncation | Facilitates retrieving variations of a term. E.g., search* yields results containing the terms search, searcher, searchers, searches, and searching | * (asterisk) | violen* |
| Fuzzy matching | Facilitates broader word matching, which is useful for spelling variations like color/colour and misspellings | ~ (tilde) with or without a number signifying total number of different characters | Eating behavior~1 |
| Phrasing | Searching with exact terms in a desired order | ” (straight quotation marks surrounding desired terms) | “Acute Stress Disorder” |
| Filtering | Post-query refinement | Left menu on search results page to facilitate query refinement | – Creator (Author)- Date created (YYYY)- Subject (Child Psychology)- License (e.g., CC-BY)- Provider (repository)- Institution (but only if institution is an OSF member institution- Additional filters (Indicates that results have related OSF deposited resources) (e.g., preregistration, data, supplemental materials) |
OSF has more information on their current search syntax available on the following webpage: https://help.osf.io/article/588-getting-started-with-osf-search#Refine-Results-Using-Special-Search-Syntax-YbtIb
As mentioned above, search guidance on a given platform is often a snapshot in time. Platforms make changes, and ideally those changes are well documented so users can make search strategy adjustments. Some librarians are committed to monitoring syntax changes, and the OSF platform is included in this syntax table: https://lib.uvic.ca/preprintsearchsyntax (Premji & Riegelman, 2026).
Amy Riegelman
Amy Riegelman is a Social Sciences and Evidence Synthesis Librarian at University of Minnesota and a member of the PsyArXiv Member Advisory Board.
