Pinpoint Your Google Searches
Google boasts that it has the most ‘hits’ of any website on the Internet, with billions of hits per day. While everyone is familiar with the deceptively simple search engine giant, there are many of us who don’t use its full capabilities.
In almost every search database there is a way to clarify and simplify a search in order to find precisely what a person is looking for. Additionally, since we as educators have to be more and more careful about what we expose our students to, it becomes much more important to censor out all the ‘bad stuff’ and focus in on what we need.
Below is a collection of Google words that, when used in the Google search bar at www.google.com, can narrow the search to only include information that is pertinent.
Word usage and their use in Google searches:
| Symbol | Example | Definition |
| or | Animal races turtle OR tortoise | Animal races that are for turtles or tortoises |
| “ “ | “don’t worry be happy” | The exact phrase don’t worry be happy |
| + | +where fresh food market | The words where, fresh, food & market (forces Google not to ignore the word where) |
| - | Pony -tail | The word pony but NOT the word tail |
| ~ | Jazz favorites ~glossary | The words jazz and favorites, and both a glossary and it synonyms |
| .. | Weight set $125..$250 | Weight sets between $125 and $250 |
| Site: | Life of US Presidents site:Wikipedia.com | Info on the life of US Presidents from wikipedia’s website |
| Allinurl: | Stress tension site:edu | Info on stress and tension from educational sites (.edu domain) |
| Allintitle: | Allintitle:funny joke kids | The words funny, joke and kids in the web page title |
| Define: | Define:maudlin | Definitions of maudlin from the web |
| Books: | Books:”funny cats” | Book-related info on any titles with the exact phrase funny cats |
| Movie: | Movie:gladiator | Reviews, showtimes, & locations for the movie gladiator |
| Music: | Music:john mayer | John Mayer music-related info & where you can buy the music |
| 12345 ( 5 digit zipcode) | Ice cream 11209 | Where you can find ice cream in Brooklyn, NY |
| % of | 30% of (22+46*5/9) | Numerical value of a mathematical expression |
| 10*2 (math equations calculator) | 20+(3*7)/34 | Numerical value of a mathematical expression |
| 40g in oz (convert measurements) | 68g in oz | Conversion of x units into y units |
| 3 Euros in US$ (convert currency) | 15 deutschmarks in US$ | Currency conversions |
Source: www.googleguide.com
