Transcript Google Search Tips - Hope International University

Google Search Tips:
Advanced Features
By Robin Hartman, Associate Librarian
Darling Library – Hope International University
Adapted from “A Google Gambol” (Internet Librarian 2003)
Greg Notess, Creator, Search Engine Showdown
& Reference Librarian, Montana State University
Updated by Bethany Ahlberg 8/2/07
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Advanced Features of Google
Fill in the Blanks – “*”
Diacritics
Query modifiers
GAPS (proximity search)
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Fill in the Blanks – “*”
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Fill in the Blanks – “*”
You can replace unknown
words with an asterisk - “*”.
Google returns results
substituting the “*” with
words most frequently
used in the context of
the query.
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Use “*” for:
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Possible Uses for “*”
Busted!
Searching out suspected plagiarism.
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Possible Uses for “*”
Including results with
common misspellings.
All spellings of a word
will be found.
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Possible Uses for “*”
Finding common variations.
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Fun with “*”
Finding parodies.
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Do not use “*” for:
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Fill in the Blanks – “*”
Replacing a character.
If you try to use “*” to fill in a letter,
number, or symbol…
…Google will treat the
characters on either side
of the “*” like separate
keywords.
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Diacritics
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Diacritics
If you search for a
word with a diacritic
(distinguishing
mark) in it…
…will Google
return results with
or without the
diacritic?
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Diacritics
The
answer is:
both!
A search for unité
produces results for
both unite and unité.
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Diacritics
To limit your search to only unité, add
a “-” followed by unite.
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Diacritics
Notice how the number of
results has decreased.
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Query Modifiers
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Query Modifiers
Use these commands in the search
window.
intitle: Find sites with one search term in the title.
allintitle: Find sites with all search terms in the title.
inurl: Find sites with one search term in the URL.
allinurl: Find sites with all search terms in the URL.
site: Limit your search to a specific web site.
filetype: Specify a type of document to search.
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Query Modifiers – intitle:
Find sites with one search term in the title.
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Query Modifiers – intitle:
This search returns
sites with the word
shampoo in the
title…
…and ingredient
anywhere in the
document.
Find sites with one search term in the title.
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Query Modifiers – allintitle:
Find sites with ALL search terms in the title.
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Query Modifiers – allintitle:
Notice fewer “hits”
when shampoo
AND ingredient
must be found in
the title of the
page.
Find sites with all search terms
in the title.
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Query Modifiers – inurl:
Find sites with one search term in the URL.
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Query Modifiers – inurl:
This search returns
sites with the word
shampoo in the
URL…
…and ingredient
anywhere in the
document.
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Find sites with one search term in the URL.
Query Modifiers – allinurl:
Find sites with ALL search terms in the URL.
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Query Modifiers – allinurl:
Notice fewer “hits”
when shampoo
AND ingredient
must be found in
the title of the
page.
Find sites with all search terms
in the URL.
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Query Modifiers – site:
Limit your search to a specific web site.
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Query Modifiers – site:
Enter search terms,
then qualifier.
Finds elephant
Example 1 race on the Cal
State Fullerton
site.
Limit your search to a specific web site.
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Query Modifiers – site:
Enter search
terms, then
qualifier.
Example 2
Finds dinosaur on
the Smithsonian
Institute site.
Limit your search to a specific web site.
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Query Modifiers – site:
Enter search terms,
then qualifier.
Example 3
Limits search of
schwarzenegger to official
California senate pages.
Limit your search to a specific web site.
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Query Modifiers – filetype:
Specify a type of document to search.
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Query Modifiers – filetype:
pdf – Adobe
readable files
Specify a type of document to search.
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Query Modifiers – filetype:
pdf – Adobe
readable files
doc – Microsoft
Word documents
Specify a type of document to search.
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Query Modifiers – filetype:
pdf – Adobe
readable files
doc – Microsoft
Word documents
mdb – Microsoft
Access databases
Specify a type of document to search.
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Query Modifiers – filetype:
pdf – Adobe
readable files
doc – Microsoft
Word documents
D’oh!
If you get no results from Google
Web, try Google Images.
mdb – Microsoft
Access databases
jpg, gif, tif –
graphics and photos
Specify a type of document to search.
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Query Modifiers – filetype:
pdf – Adobe
readable files
doc – Microsoft
Word documents
mdb – Microsoft
Access databases
jpg, gif, tif –
graphics and photos
ppt – Microsoft
PowerPoint presentations
Specify a type of document to search.
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Using Multiple Query Modifiers
Key words, plus…
…site: modifier, plus…
Voilà!
…equals…
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Search of shampoo
ingredient limited to
…filetype:
modifier…
find
only PowerPoint
files on official California
government pages.
GAPS by staggernation.com
Searching for all kinds of
cookie recipes with
chocolate – but not
oatmeal?
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http://www.staggernation.com
This search will return:
Chocolate chip cookie recipe
Chocolate cookie recipe
Chocolate covered cherry
cookie recipe
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GAPS by staggernation.com
Google API Proximity Search
A script that searches Google for two search
terms that appear within a certain proximity
of each other on a page.
• Studies show that the closer search terms are in
proximity, the better chance that the document is
relevant to the searcher’s need.
For more info go to:
http://www.staggernation.com/gaps/readme.html
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Search Engine Showdown
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Search Engine Showdown
For in depth information on how Google
and other web search engines work, go to
Greg Notess’ Search Engine Showdown:
The User’s Guide to Web Searching at
http://www.searchengineshowdown.com/
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See More Google
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See More Google
This is one of three presentations on
Google Search Tips. Others include:
Lesser Used Features
Lesser Used Databases
Advanced Functions
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