Making the Most of Google Searches
Learn to Search Like a Librarian
Everyone Googles!
It’s no secret!
Making the Most of GoogleFine-tuning “googling” skills
better command of searches leading to
valid and more reputable results.
Use Likely Words
Avoid questions for queries. NO: Where can I find a cheap
hotel in Savannah? YES: cheap hotel Savannah
Avoid extra words to connect search terms. NO: documentation on knee replacement surgery YES: knee replacement surgery
Be Specific
Avoid ambiguous searches. NO: java YES: Java Indonesia YES : java coffee YES: java programming
NO: Michael Johnson YES : Michael Johnson guitarist YES: Michael Johnson sprinter YES : Michael Johnson Georgia Tech football
Spelling
Stick with a few concise terms. NO: programs on how to lose weight YES: weight loss programs
Brevity
Stick with a few concise terms. NO: programs on how to lose weight YES: weight loss programs
Google ignores certain search words. Common Google Stop Words –
a, all, any, few, how, in, into, of, more, most, my, only, so, some, such, the, this, those, through, very, which, while, who, whom, why, with…
BUT Google is “smart” enough to generalize when not to ignore a stop word.
Example – Google will not ignore the “for,” “whom” and “the” in a searching
Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Stop Words
Become Familiar with Operators
Minus Sign The minus sign excludes a term(s) in the results and
used by librarians to filter a search term with multiple connotations.
jaguar –football –Jacksonville –car
#..# Search a range of numbers. Martha Stewart Halloween 2008..2011, editions
3..8 Wildcard –> * Placeholder for a word(s), letter(s) or number(s). pumpkin * recipe, Jan * 2011, environ*
Become Familiar with Operators
> Add site:> to only search a type of site (ex: .gov
or .edu) or a specific website url. grammar activities site:> .edu Hubble telescope images site:>nasa.gov
or Tells Google to search for either variable
though not necessarily together. crescent moon or quarter moon
Filetype: Google will only yield sources of the requested
filetype. Women* suffrage filetype:ppt
Become Familiar with Operators
define: Use this preceding anything unfamiliar. define:kerning, define:planking
quotes: Surround an exact phrase with quotes. “But I have promises to keep, and miles to go
before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
phonebook: Fast way to locate a telephone number. phonebook:Rite Aid Peachtree Rd
Become Familiar with Operators
related: Browse sites with similar content. related:ancestry.com
movie: Instant 411 of current movies – times,
reviews, rating (G, PG, PG-13, R), trailers, etc. movie:Moneyball
weather: Quick weather synopsis by location. weather:31093, weather:Paris, weather:Turner
Field
BibliographyImages Sources:
http://www.huzzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/looking-3.jpg http://gotlocaltraffic.com/wp-content/themes/iblogpro/images/top-ranking-in-
google-places.png http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/09/article-1345441-
076E8826000005DC-675_468x286.jpg http://www.owlsweb.info/tidbits/2004/google-spell.jpg http://www.nwhm.org/media/category/exhibits/spies/telephone%20operators
%20world%20war%20I.jpg http://www.best-4-u.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Find-Similar-Websites-
On-the-Internet.jpg http://www.marcgunther.com/wp-content/uploads/google.jpg http://wwwcdn.net/ev/assets/images/vectors/afbig/downward-black-arrow-
clip-art.jpg http://www.mononarag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/real_stop_sign.jpg http://www.usa.gov/tutorials/auctions/images/gov_auctions_7.jpg
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