Tips on Searching with Google

Google can be a helpful search tool used everyday for a variety of reasons. Here are some effective ways to search Google that will help get better and quicker results.

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Exact Phrase

Definition: Searches for an exact phrase

Example: “leather wallet”

Result: Includes the exact phrase “leather wallet”

Excluded Words

Definition: Excludes search results with a particular word or phrase

Example: water -lakes

Result: Results about water that are not related to lakes

Similar Words

Definition: Searches for a word and all its synonyms

Example: ~elderly

Result: Results with the word “elderly,” as well as “older,” “senior,” “aged,” ect.

Multiple Words

Definition: Searches for webpages that include either word

Example: vacation Italy OR Greece

Result: Results with the word “vacation” and either “Italy” OR “Greece”

Numerical Ranges

Definition: Searches for a range of numbers

Example: George Washington 1789…1797

Result: Results about George Washington during this time period

Find Meanings

Definition: Defines a word or phrase

Example: define:farm

Result: Links to definitions of the word “farm”

Site Specific

Definition: Searches only particular websites

Example: global warming site:edu

Result: References to global warming found .edu websites

Linked Pages

Definition: Searches for webpages that link to a particular website

Example: link:www.uic.edu

Result: Websites that link to the University of Illinois Chicago website

Math Answers

Definition: Basic calculator functions

Example: 3+3, 40% of 60, 15^5, sqrt(4), ect.

Result: The answer

Conversions

Definition: Converts units of measure

Example: cm in foot, 30C in F, $ in pound, days in fornight, miles in league, mph in speed of light, ect.

Result: The converted answer