What's a Search Hack?
Advance your search skills by using search hacks to combine your keywords in library databases. These tricks work in Google and other search interfaces at all, so once this skill is in your toolbox, you're ready to level up all your searches!
All examples will relate to the research topic: How does urban green space impact the mental and physical health of local residents?
| Search Hack | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| AND | "green space" AND "mental health" | All results will include both the terms green space and mental health. |
| OR | community OR resident | All results will include either the keyword community, resident, or both keywords. This is a great tool to use when there are synonyms for one of your keywords. |
| NOT | "green space" NOT rural | Results will include the words "green space" and will exclude any resources with the word rural. This is a great way to eliminate irrelevant results. |
| "Quotation marks" | "urban green space" | The words inside the quotation marks will be searched in the exact order that they are written. |
| (Parentheses) | (community OR resident) AND "mental health" | The operation in the parentheses is prioritized. For this example, the search would be performed as follows: (community AND "mental health") OR (resident AND "mental health") |
| * Asterisk |
urban* - urbanize, urbanized, urbanization residen* - resident, residential |
The asterisk is a wildcard. Put it after the root of a word and the database will search for any completion of that word. |
Try It Yourself!
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BU Libraries Search This link opens in a new window
BU Libraries Search provides a single place to search for a wide variety of research material provided by the library. Resources covered by the search includes books and eBooks, journals, scores and sheet music, video and audio recordings, and other physical and electronic items held by the library. Coverage encompasses materials relating to the prehistoric and antique world through to the present.
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A-Z Database ListUse this list to navigate your options for subject-specific databases. Not sure where to start? Use the drop down filters to narrow by subject or type of information.
If you get stuck, ask a librarian!
