Summary Information
- Understanding Search Engines
- What is a Search Engine? A software system designed to search for information on the World Wide Web.
- Popular Search Engines: Google, Bing, Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Search Engines
- Basic Search Techniques
- Use Keywords: Start with the main words related to your topic.
- Phrase Search: Use quotes ("") to search for an exact phrase.
- Exclude Words: Use the minus (-) sign before a word to exclude it from the search results.
- Advanced Search Techniques
- Site-Specific Search: Use site: followed by a domain to search within a specific website.
- Related Sites: Use related: to find sites similar to a specified site.
- File Type Search: Use filetype: to search for specific file types, like PDF or DOC.
- Search Operators
- AND: Ensures both terms appear in the result.
- OR: Ensures either of the terms appear in the result.
- NOT: Excludes a term from the search.
- Evaluating Search Results
- Check the Domain: Trusted domains like .edu, .gov, or well-known organisations can be more reliable.
- Publication Date: Recent information might be more relevant for certain topics.
- Author Credentials: Check the author's qualifications and background.
- Safety and Privacy
- Use Private Browsing: This mode doesn't store your browsing history, cookies, or search queries.
- Consider Using Privacy-focused Search Engines: Such as DuckDuckGo.
- Avoid Clicking on Suspicious Links: Look for HTTPS and trusted domains.
- Using Search Tools
- Time Range: Filter results by the date of publication.
- Search by Image: Use reverse image search to find the origin of an image.
- Location-Based Search: Filter results based on a specific region or country.
- Google Search Console
- Google Developer Search
- Google Search Basics
- Use Voice Searches & Actions
- Staying Updated
- Google Alerts: Set up alerts for specific keywords to get updates.
- RSS Feeds: Subscribe to websites to get the latest content.
- SEO - Search Engine Optimisation
1. Phrase Search
Description: Using quotation marks around a set of words ensures that the search engine looks for the exact phrase within the quotes.
Example: If you’re researching the famous quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, you could search for “to be or not to be”. This ensures you get results containing that exact phrase.
2. Exclude Words
Description: The minus (-) sign allows users to exclude specific words or sites from the search results.
Example: If you’re looking for information about the planet Mercury but not the car brand, you could search for Mercury -car.
3. Site-Specific Search
Description: This technique restricts the search results to a specific domain or website.
Example: If you want to find articles about artificial intelligence on The Guardian’s website, you’d search for site:theguardian.com artificial intelligence.
4. Related Sites
Description: This helps users find websites similar to a known one.
Example: If you enjoy content from National Geographic and want to discover similar websites, you’d search for related:nationalgeographic.com.
5. File Type Search
Description: This technique filters results to specific file types.
Example: If you’re looking for PowerPoint presentations about quantum physics, you’d search for quantum physics filetype:ppt.
6. Wildcard Search
Description: The asterisk (*) acts as a placeholder for any word or words in a phrase.
Example: If you’re trying to recall a quote but can’t remember some words, you might search for “early to bed and * to rise” to find Benjamin Franklin’s adage “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
7. Search Within a Number Range
Description: This technique filters results within a specific numerical range.
Example: If you’re shopping for a camera and have a budget of $200 to $400, you’d search for camera $200..$400.
8. Define
Description: This provides the definition of a word.
Example: If you come across a word you’re unfamiliar with, like “sycophant”, you’d search for define:sycophant.
9. Stock Information
Description: This provides stock market information for a specific company using its ticker symbol.
Example: If you want to check the stock performance of Microsoft, you’d simply search for its ticker symbol, MSFT.
10. Calculator
Description: Google’s search bar can perform mathematical calculations.
Example: If you’re trying to calculate the area of a circle with a radius of 7 (using the formula πr^2), you’d type in 3.14159 * 7^2.
By understanding and utilizing these advanced techniques, users can refine their searches, making it easier to find the exact information they’re seeking on Google.