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Power Googling

Power Googling. Last Updated: 2007. What We’ll Cover. Review Expanding and Narrowing Your Search (Boolean operators) Word Variations and Synonyms Searching in Web Sites and Titles Special Google Searches. Enter your search terms (keywords) into the search box.

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Power Googling

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  1. Power Googling Last Updated: 2007

  2. What We’ll Cover • Review • Expanding and Narrowing Your Search (Boolean operators) • Word Variations and Synonyms • Searching in Web Sites and Titles • Special Google Searches

  3. Enter your search terms (keywords) into the search box Review: Keyword Searching Avoid using words such as the, I, a, are, be, from, when, where These words – stop words - will be ignored by the search engine.

  4. Review: Keyword Searches • When searching for 1+ keywords, Google automatically searches for all keywords entered into the search box. chicken soup is the same as chicken AND soup

  5. Each result has 3 details • Title of website • Text sample • Web address Review: Interpreting Your Google Search Results A list of websites that have paidto be included with the results of your selected keywords

  6. Simple keywords can return many search results Google also suggests more refined results using more keywords that are related to similar subjects Google divides the results into manageable sets of pages for viewing Review: Interpreting Your Google Search Results

  7. Review: Finding Better Results Reducing the Number of Results • Use more descriptive keywords Example: chicken soupvsspicy chicken soup recipe

  8. Review: Finding Better Results Reducing the Number of Results • Use phrase searching.Example: “spicy chicken soup” recipe

  9. Review: Finding Better Results Reducing the Number of Results • Using a “-” in front of a keyword you can remove all results with that search term.Example: halifax genealogy -virginia

  10. Review: Finding Better Results Searcher Beware! • There is no space between the “-” (minus sign) and the keyword • Using the “-” (minus sign) can reduce a lot of irrelevant pages from your search results, but it can also eliminate relevant results

  11. Finding Better Results: OR Increasing the Number of Results • Using OR broadens your search and can increase the number of search results you get. Example: car OR automobile

  12. Finding Better Results : OR Increasing the Number of Results car OR vehicle OR automobile inspections retrieves web pages containing: car ANDinspections vehicle AND inspections automobile ANDinspections

  13. Finding Better Results: OR Searcher Beware! If you write the OR operator as or, Google will treat it like any other search term

  14. Try This • Search for information on universities in Nova Scotia • Search for information on author Alistair MacLeod (Hint: you’re not sure about the spelling of the last name) Answer: university OR college OR postsecondary “nova scotia” Answer: macleod OR mcleod alistair

  15. Finding Better Results: Synonyms Increasing the Number of Results • Using the ~ (tilde) in front of a keywordtells Google to look for that keyword plus its synonyms Example: ~car

  16. Finding Better Results: Synonyms

  17. Try This • You need a buying guide for computers (Hint: what are some other terms for “computer”?) Answer: ~computer “buying guide”

  18. Site Searching: Searching Specific Websites site: • Looks for your search terms in a specific web site or domain • Domains include: .gov government agencies .ca Canada .edu educational institutions .uk United Kingdom .com commercial businesses .org not-for-profit organizations .mil military Example: site:ca “income tax” NOTE: there is no space between site: and the domain

  19. Site Searching: Searching Specific Websites

  20. Try this Search for information on the Halifax Explosion. You only want to see websites that are from Nova Scotia. HINT: the domain for Nova Scotia is ns.ca Answer: site:ns.ca “halifax explosion”

  21. Site Searching: Searching Page Titles intitle: • Searches for your search terms in the titles of web pages Example: personal computer intitle:buying guide Note: there is no space between intitle: and the search term(s)

  22. Site Searching: Searching Page Titles

  23. Try this • Search for information on hybrid cars. You only want to see pages with gas mileage in the title. • Search for information on soup recipes. You only want to see pages with vegetarian in the title. Answer: “hybrid cars” intitle:“gas mileage” Answer: “soup recipes” intitle:vegetarian

  24. Other Google Searches • Google has a variety of features and special searches that can help you find specific types of information • Images • Calculator • Google Glossary • and more …

  25. You can use the same search techniques ( OR, -, ~, phrase searching, etc.) with the Google Images search Other Google Searches: Google Images • You can search for images using the basic Google search, but Google Images makes it much easier • To find images: • Click on the “Images” link • Enter your search terms halifax “nova scotia”

  26. Other Google Searches: Google Images

  27. Other Google Searches: Google Images Try This: Try finding pictures of the following: • mayor peter kelly – limit to medium pictures • “nova scotia duck tolling retriever” – limit to large pictures • “nova scotia” flag – limit to small pictures

  28. Recap • Review of basic search techniques • Refining your search • Reducing the number of results • Increasing the number of results • Google searches and shortcuts

  29. For More Information • Google Guide: making searching even easierwww.googleguide.com • Google Help Center: Google Search Guideshttp://www.google.ca/help/basics.html • Be sure to check the Library Guide for upcoming computer programs and registration information

  30. Questions?

  31. Additional Material

  32. Other Google Searches: Google Calculator • Google’s calculator can be a very useful shortcut • Use it to: • Solve mathematic equations • Carry out conversions

  33. No = (equals sign) is needed Other Google Searches: Google Calculator • To calculate a mathematical equation, simply enter the equation as it’s written 2*5+7

  34. Google reformats the equation adding spaces and brackets Other Google Searches: Google Calculator

  35. Other Google Searches: Google Calculator • To convert a value from one set of units to another (e.g., pounds  kilograms): • Enter the amount you want to convert (with units), then • Enter the units you want to convert it to 1 lb to grams

  36. Other Google Searches: Google Calculator 1 lb to grams Notice that in addition to the conversion, Google lists pages that match the search terms we included in the search box

  37. Other Google Searches: Google Calculator Try This: • Calculate the number of seconds in a day:24*60*60 • Convert 2 miles (mi) to kilometres (km) • Convert 3 pounds (lb) to kilograms (kg) Answer: 2 mi to km Answer: 3 lb to kg

  38. Other Google Searches: Google Glossary • Google Glossary is another shortcut • Can be a good tool to use when you are looking for a definition of a word • To view a list of definitions: • Enter “define:” • Enter the word that you need the definition for define: “search engine”

  39. define: “search engine” define “search engine” Other Google Searches: Google Glossary

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