Power Googling

Power Googling

Last Updated: 2007

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca/

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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

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Review: Keyword Searching

Enter your search terms (keywords) into the search box

Avoid using words such as the, I, a, are, be, from, when, whereThese words – stop words - will be ignored by the search engine.

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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

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Review: Interpreting Your Google Search Results

A list of websites that have paidto be included with the results of your selected keywords

Each result has 3 details1. Title of website2. Text sample3. Web address

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Review: Interpreting Your Google Search Results

Google divides the results into manageable sets of pages for viewing

Simple keywords can return many search resultsGoogle also suggests more

refined results using more keywords that are related to similar subjects

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Review: Finding Better Results

Reducing the Number of Results

1. Use more descriptive keywords

Example: chicken soup vs spicy chicken soup recipe

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2. Use phrase searching.

Example: “spicy chicken soup” recipe

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3. Using a “-” in front of a keyword you can remove all results with that search term.

Example: halifax genealogy -virginia


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Searcher Beware!

1. There is no space between the “-” (minus sign) and the keyword

2. Using the “-” (minus sign) can reduce a lot of irrelevant pages from your search results, but it can also eliminate relevant results


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Finding Better Results: OR

Increasing the Number of Results

1. Using OR broadens your search and can increase the number of search results you get.

Example: car OR automobile

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Finding Better Results : OR


car OR vehicle OR automobile inspections

retrieves web pages containing:

car AND inspectionsvehicle AND inspectionsautomobile AND inspections

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Searcher Beware!

If you write the OR operator as or, Google will treat it like any other search term

Finding Better Results: OR

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Try This

1. Search for information on universities in Nova Scotia

2. 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

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Finding Better Results: Synonyms


2. Using the ~ (tilde) in front of a keyword tells Google to look for that keyword plus its synonyms

Example: ~car

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Finding Better Results: Synonyms

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Try This

1. You need a buying guide for computers (Hint: what are some other terms for “computer”?)

Answer: ~computer “buying guide”

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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

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Site Searching: Searching Specific Websites

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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”

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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)

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Site Searching: Searching Page Titles

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Try this

1. Search for information on hybrid cars. You only want to see pages with gas mileage in the title.

2. 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

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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 …

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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:

1. Click on the “Images” link

2. Enter your search terms

halifax “nova scotia”

You can use the same search techniques ( OR, -, ~, phrase searching, etc.) with the Google Images search

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Try This:

Try finding pictures of the following:

1. mayor peter kelly – limit to medium pictures

2. “nova scotia duck tolling retriever” – limit to large pictures

3. “nova scotia” flag – limit to small pictures

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• Review of basic search techniques• Refining your search

– Reducing the number of results– Increasing the number of results

• Google searches and shortcuts

Recap

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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

http://www.googleguide.com/

http://www.google.ca/help/basics.html

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Questions?

Additional Material

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca/

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Other Google Searches: Google Calculator

• Google’s calculator can be a very useful shortcut

• Use it to: • Solve mathematic equations• Carry out conversions

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• To calculate a mathematical equation, simply enter the equation as it’s written

2*5+7

No = (equals sign) is needed

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Google reformats the equation adding spaces and brackets

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• To convert a value from one set of units to another (e.g., pounds kilograms):

1.Enter the amount you want to convert (with units), then

2.Enter the units you want to convert it to

1 lb to grams

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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

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Try This:

1. Calculate the number of seconds in a day:24*60*60

2. Convert 2 miles (mi) to kilometres (km)

3. Convert 3 pounds (lb) to kilograms (kg)

Answer: 2 mi to km

Answer: 3 lb to kg

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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:

1. Enter “define:”

2. Enter the word that you need the definition for

define: “search engine”

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Other Google Searches: Google Glossary

define “search engine”

define: “search engine”

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Power Googling