Becoming a search ninja.

First.

Know your enemy.

Do not rely on google.

Search enginesvs.

Library databases

They are both databases.

Databases are robots.

Robots search differently and find different material.

Second.

Ask the right question.

Keywords and Phrases+

Syntax or Advanced Search Forms

Learn to switch the way you think, try different tactics.

Syntax

syn`taks /`syn,taks/

Noun a connected or orderly system: harmonious arragement of parts or

elements.

The following slides describe search methods as they relate to google. However, the same basic ideas can be applied to all search engines and scholarly databases. With any database, the best way to learn and become a true search ninja is to use the advanced search forms and then look the syntax that was generated. From this you can deduce the syntax that was used and how you can use that same syntax directly for future searches.

Do not rely on google.

Examples of Syntax

“ “

-

*

+

~

( )

site:

filetype:

inurl:

OR

intitle:

Ninja Basics

The more search terms you enter, the more focused and specific your results will be.

ex. Airport security Airport security full body scans Airport security full body scans ethics

Ninja Basics

You can put quotation marks around a phrase to force google to find those words exactly as you

have written them.

ex. “Airport security” “full body scans”

Ninja Basics

Use OR and parentheses to give google alternative terms to search.

ex. (airport OR airline) (ethics OR rights OR risk)

Ninja Basics

The minus sign tells google to exclude web sites that contain these terms.

ex. “full body scan” -MRI -”CAT scan”

Ninja Basics

Use “site:” to specify results from a particular web site or top-domain.

ex. “Airport security” “full body scans” site:gov “Airport security” “full body scans” site:nytimes.com “Airport security” “full body scans” (site:nytimes.com

OR washingtonpost.com)

Ninja Basics

Use “intitle:” to force google to find those words in the title of the web page.

ex. intitle:airport intitle:security “full body” (ethics OR

rights)

Ninja Basics

Use the tilde (~) to tell google to find related words.

ex. ~airport ~sercurity ~ethics

Ninja Basics

Get really fancy and put it all together!

ex. intitle:security (intitle:airport OR intitle:airline) “full

body” ~scan ~ethics

Third.

think.

Filter bubbles.

Google – and other search engines – don't find everything. Search engines can shape your

results:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ofWFx525s