Introduction

In previous posts, we have learned how to access Twitter database to collect tweets matching different criteria massively (Creating a corpus of tweets with Python) and how to make advanced searches in Twitter database (Advanced search in Twitter). In this tutorial we will see six examples on how to perform extended searches on Twitter to filter data efficiently.

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We could aim to explore reactions on RAE statements. By searching the following string we will be retrieving tweets including any of the sequences quotted posted in reply to RAE account in Twitter. Check it out – it’s worth it.

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"la lingüística es *" OR "la linguistica es *" OR "el lenguaje es *" OR "la lengua es *" to:@raeinforma

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Use the following string to request tweets including either the string lenguaje inclusivo or both letter e and word género posted only by RAE. This is a good way of getting an impression of inclusion on public institutions.

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"lenguaje inclusivo" OR (e AND género) from:@raeinforma

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Now we can check out what general people think of inclusive language by excluding any mention to either RAE account or RAE as a word.

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"lenguaje inclusivo" OR "e de género" -@raeinforma -RAE

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With the next string we can track the very first tweet of a fascist party about inclusive language. We have looked up for the string ideologia de genero in tweets mentioning VOX account posted up to June 30th, 2014.

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"ideologia de género" until:2014-06-30 +@vox_es

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On the one hand, in this search we can search how the party uses homosexual people to pinkwash their image.

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"homosexual" OR "homosexuales" from:@vox_es

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On the other, with this one we can check how interested they are in inclusion and equality.

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"transexual" OR "transexuales" OR "bisexual" OR "bisexuales" from:@vox_es

Conclusion

In this tutorial we have seen five examples of advanced searches for Twitter. This search strings can be included in a Python program in order to select, process and further study the retrieved tweets (cf. Creating a corpus of tweets with Python).