Searching the Internet Using Google Tips and Tricks

What is the Internet?  The Internet is the world’s largest network of computers.  A network is a group of two or more computer systems linked together.

What is the World Wide Web?  One part of the Internet  Includes text pictures, sounds, and video  Requires browser software to access (Internet Explorer, Foxfire, Netscape)

What is a Search Engine? A web page where you can conduct a search of the Web.

Examples of Search Engines        Meta Search Engines

Can I Really Search the Whole Web?  No search site goes out and searches the entire Web.  Each search engine has its own database (set of files).

Search Term A word of phrase you type in a text box on a search site’s main page. Search Term goes here.

Hit List A list of links to websites produced by a search engine in response to a search term that you have entered.

About Hits  A hit list may show no link Modify your search  A hit list may show thousands of links Be more specific  More likely matches at top of list  Top 30-50

Easy Google Tips for Searching the Internet

1.Use Boolean Operators  And Find only those pages that contain both of the words  Or Find all pages that contain either of the words  Not Find all pages that contain the word before not, then remove any that also contain the word following not

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2. Exact Phrase Match Put multi-word terms in quotes to instruct the site to match only pages that show the same words in the same order.

3. Order of Word Search The order of your words does matter. Do you mean: “pizza pepperoni” or “pepperoni pizza”.

4. Number Range Search By using two periods with no spaces between two numbers in the search box, you are using a number range to search.

5. Google Site Search Allows you to ask Google to search a specific site for you Type in search box: site:target.com “patio furniture” site:lakeviewacademy.com “calendar”

6. Google Define This feature is handy if you don’t know the spelling of a word. Just type in define or definition and the word in the search box. Can be useful to define “buzz words” or phrases that occur commonly.

7. Google Phonebook Use Google to find a number or address  First name (first initial), last name, city or state  First name (first initial), last name, area code or zip code  Phone number, with area code  Last name, city, state  There is also a name removal link

8. Google Calculator Use Google to convert measurements, and do simple math problems. Simply type in a conversion into the search box  Two gallons in liters  6.2 miles in kilometers  Square root (8912)

9. Google Advanced Search Option Click this option for a very specific search Provide as much information as you can This can narrow down your search to a specific time period or language

10. Google Custom Search Engine Google Custom Search Engine Allows users to select their own websites for use Can share with others (they can add websites, too) Users can customize home pages Click here to get started

If all else fails… Think about changing..

Additional Resources Google Book Search Google Universities Google News Google Scholar Google for Educators Google Cheat Sheet cheatsheet.htm Viewzi Boolify