quick tips

You can learn how to quickly and knowledgably search with the following

information.

By: Kataryna Cookman

Quick TipSearching for “anything related to the root”

you can use a truncation.Ex: *dog

This tells the search engine to look for anything that deals with dogs. It is a vague search. http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/less

on7.shtml

Keyword SearchYou can use the “(your search criteria)” This will allow you to limit the search.If there is anything that is related to this

search in which you do not want to include you can ‘subtract’ that from your search with the next key tip.

http://websearch.about.com/od/focusongoogle/tp/google-search-tricks.htm

Quick TipIn order to ‘subtract’ information in your

search to fit your searching request, you can use the – sign in front of the information that you would rather not include in your search.Ex: animals –kangaroo

http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson7.shtml

Quick TipThe opposite of subtraction is addition. When

you are trying to add information to your search you can easily do this with the + symbol. Ex: milk +chocolate chip cookies

Remember to leave a space in between the two words but in between the symbol and word do not put a space. http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/less

on7.shtml

Keyword Search• Order makes all the difference in some

searches. Place the most important words in the front of your search. Without doing this in some cases will make your search more vague and less beneficial to you.– Ex: poodle dog• If you were to type in ‘dog poodle’ you are telling

the search engine to look for dogs with a look out for poodles. Instead of just poodles.

» http://websearch.about.com/od/focusongoogle/tp/google-search-tricks.htm

Keyword SearchIf you are looking for something specific

make sure to type in everything you know that is relevant to the subject. Ex: Land Before Time IV

If you were going to search for a movie like Land Before Time IV and you type in Land Before Time you will most likely be limiting your search to just the first Land Before Time unless you specify the IV th movie.


Search Engine TipsTo search for anything in between a weight

or within a price range, “to” in between these two amounts may cause the search engine problems so instead use “..”Ex: solid color t-shirts x-small..large


Definition Search• This is one of the easiest searches but only if

you know what you are doing. All you have to do is type in ‘define:’ or ‘definition:’ and then the word that you wish to define.– Ex: define: tofu– Ex: definition: tofu• They will both get you to the same search.


Person Search• If you are trying to look up somebody

whether they live 2 sec. or 2, 000 mi the web should be able to find their “phonebook identity” for you. Just type in first name, last name, city, state (optional), area code (optional), zip code (optional), if you do not have some of the required information don‘t worry just type in the following optional areas.


Boolean Search• It allows you to use the words AND, OR, and

NOT. In some cases that are too generalized the computer the search engine doesn’t like to assume any information other than that of the searched items. Like recipes, in order to define this search to meet your standards you can add the word AND, recipes AND muffins. If you are allergic to nuts perhaps you want to include the NOT for example, recipes AND muffins NOT nuts.

» http://websearch.about.com/od/internetresearch/a/boolean.htm

Boolean SearchWhen searching with this type of search you

want to include the AND/OR search in parenthesis.Ex: fruit (cantaloupe OR muskmelon) Ex: fruit (cantaloupe AND muskmelon)

This limits your search to either/or you can also do this to increase your search, either way it benefits you to your search likings.

http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson7.shtml

Advanced Search• GOOGLE

(http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en) : There are a few different types of advanced searches that you can perform and many different advanced search engines that you can be successful with this search.

• Google has one of the best advanced search engines on the web.

Advanced Search• Now let’s say that you have a topic that is

specific but doesn’t fit into this category, no need to worry, there are other fields that you can search in. For example the “Language”, “Region”, “File Format”, “Date”, “Numeric Range”, “Occurrences”, “Domain”, “Usage Rights”, and “Safe Search” search.

• This search option helps find past events.

• Google

Advanced Search• One of the more common advanced search

areas involve the “with all the words”, “with the exact phrase”, “with at least one of the words”, or “without the words” settings. This is a simple, less time consuming and definitely less frustrating for someone if they had a specific topic that they were searching for.

• Google

Advanced Search• Page Specific Search also limits some of the

generalizations that may be possible, this allows you to limit the page in which you had searched on a web site.

• Google

Advanced Search: DOGPILE.COM“All of these Words”

This refers to a phrase or words that you would like to search by. This is helpful just because the regular search engine often times limits itself to certain words. Ex: computer windows DVD HP CD blue

http://www.dogpile.com/dogpile/ws/advsearch/ShowAdvanceSearch=1/rfcid=414/rfcp=Top/_iceUrlFlag=11?_IceUrl=true&qcat=Web

Advanced Search: DOGPILE.COM“The exact phrase”

I know that sometimes I know a phrase in which I would like to search but with a regular search engine I seem to just get the searched sites that have bits and pieces of my phrase. Ex: teardrops on my guitar

This is a tricky phrase just because it involves a lot of words. This advanced search is perfect for the format.


Advanced Search: DOGPILE.COM“Any of these words”

Searches for a phrase that isn’t exactly the way you think the phrase should go, or perhaps you are interested in the phrase but not everything has to be exactly worded like that. Ex: green/blue sweatshirts

Green or just blue sweatshirts will be just fine.


Advanced Search:DOGPILE.COM“None of these words”

This refines your search.You have to enter in another field in order for it

to make sense to the computer Ex: Banana, strawberry, Kiwi


Advanced Search:IN GENERALWith the advanced search the more areas you

use the more specific your search will be. The fields which you choose to use, many can be used by themselves but the search will turn out a lot better and more accurate if you can fill in more then one field of search.

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