This guide describes numerous advanced searching techniques that can be applied in most databases and even in Google. Mastering advanced search strategies can greatly improve the quality and speed of your searches.
Advanced searching involves being more strategic in how you use databases and search terms. Advanced search strategies help you:
In this guide, we'll explore various advanced search strategies that will help you to maximize your research time. Whether you're seeking scholarly articles, industry data, company financials, or any other type of information, these techniques will help you navigate online resources with confidence.
* This guide was originally modified from a resource at Boston College Libraries.
Please note that while library databases tend to work more or less the same, the exact way a technique is executed in a particular database can vary. (It is also possible that some of these techniques will not work in the database you are using.) When first working with a database, it is helpful to familiarize yourself with its interface and to consult its help pages when you have questions concerning its capabilities.
The design of this page was partly adapted from Research: By Course, Subject, or Topic, by University of Arizona Libraries, © 2020 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.