Google Search Tips

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The fastest way to find specific information on the web is to use a search engine, such as Google. Search engines visit websites, record and index content information, and display this information when a search is performed. The frequency with which stored information is updated depends on the search engine as well as website properties such as how active the site is and whether it is updated regularly. Different search engines therefore often yield different results.

To conduct a search using Google, go to the Google website at http://www.google.com. Type in your search word and click the "Google Search" button or the "Enter" key. Here are some tips for improving the efficiency of your searches:

  1. Adding search words refines the search. By default, Google will only return pages that contain every word in your search phrase (an "and" search).
     
  2. To search for a specific word as well as its synonyms, place a tilde, ~, in front of the term.
    • ~waste brings up sites for garbage, trash, recycle, and recycling
       
  3. Select the right key words. Look at the number of returns for these phrases:
    • peanut oil => 1,060,000
    • dietary effects peanut oil => 110,000
    • dietary effects peanut oil cancer => 67,900
    • dietary effects peanut oil heart attack => 36,600
       
  4. To further refine your search, indicate which words should NOT be included. Indicate words to exclude by placing a minus sign, -, in front of the word.
    • dietary effects peanut oil heart attack -butter -canola –soy => 467
       
  5. To indicate that a specific phrase must be present, place quote marks around it.
    • dietary effects "peanut oil" heart attack -butter -canola –soy => 111
    • dietary effects "peanut oil" "heart attack" -butter -canola –soy => 44
       
  6. To search for one word or another, type in the word OR in capital letters between the words.
    • canola OR "rape seed"
       
  7. If you wish to restrict your search to a specific computer domain, enter your search words followed by the word "site", a colon, and the domain name
    • dietary effects peanut oil site:www.fcs.iastate.edu => 1
       

  8. The Advance Search feature provides a form that facilitates the search mechanisms described above as well as additional constraints, such as file format. Use the Language Tools feature to specify the language of the data retrieved and the country of origin.

Other Search Engines:

References:

 

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