{"id":6053,"date":"2023-01-18T12:03:50","date_gmt":"2023-01-18T12:03:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uvocorp.com\/freelancewriting\/?p=6053"},"modified":"2023-01-18T12:03:50","modified_gmt":"2023-01-18T12:03:50","slug":"5-tips-on-how-to-improve-your-google-search-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uvocorp.com\/freelancewriting\/5-tips-on-how-to-improve-your-google-search-skills","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips On How To Improve Your \u2018Google Search\u2019 Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"

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5 Tips On How To Improve Your \u2018Google Search\u2019 Skills<\/span><\/h1>\n

Most times, we use Google without a second thought. However, finding something can be a headache when you\u2019re a writer working on a specific topic because there are simply too many options. There are billions of web pages, and scouring thousands of results for a single search can waste your time. Sometimes, the results don\u2019t give you any useful information on your area of interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, you can avoid a bad experience by knowing how to control what you get from Google search. The search engine gives you the power to set parameters for your results based on your search entry. It’s important to know how to avoid overloading your search results with unnecessary data.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read on to learn a few search tips and shortcuts you can apply to get credible and accurate searches, reduce your search time, and sharpen your research skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

Top 5 Google Search tricks and tips<\/span><\/h2>\n

1. Use quotes to search for exact wording<\/span><\/h3>\n

The set of words you type in the search bar determines the results you get. Most times, you get a mixed search containing similar words and other variations of the separated words.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, you can restrict the search to your exact wording by using quotation marks. Quotes command Google to show results where the phrase appears exactly. This tip helps when you\u2019re hunting sources for your research and want to exclude unnecessary data.<\/span><\/p>\n

Say you want to find out what other researchers have said about a certain literary quote, quotation marks will help you to look for an exact match.\u00a0 For example, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what someone is born, but what they grow to be\u201d will return much better results and correct attributions.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t remember a particular word within the phrase, replace the unknown with an asterisk. For example, searching \u201c* is the father of invention\u201d will show the results of all possible variations of words that replace the asterisk.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Narrow your academic search with Google Scholar<\/span><\/h3>\n

A literature search is a vital part of the research process. Improvements in technology have reduced the number of users of physical libraries. If you want information from books, peer-reviewed journals, research publications, and other scholarly materials, you get better searches on Google Scholar.<\/span><\/p>\n

Google Scholar<\/span><\/a> gives you the feel of a physical library. You can search published papers in your field using keywords, article titles, or authors. Also, click related articles to get additional scholarly materials related to a useful result. The recommendations help when you\u2019re low on sources.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also get automated citations by clicking the cite option represented by double quotation marks at the bottom of each resource.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. \u201cOR\u201d gives you options<\/span><\/h3>\n

Google uses \u201cOR\u201d (in capital letters) as the operative term for searching one term or another term. It will return searches that contain either word but don\u2019t have to include both. This strategy works well when you have similar subjects or words that you want to learn. It\u2019s also appropriate when you\u2019re searching for something that can vary in meaning depending on the sources.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, a search for \u201chow to draw OR paint\u201d shows more results than a search for \u201chow to draw AND paint\u201d because OR gives freedom to show content where either word is used, while AND restricts the search to include both words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another example is \u201cglobal warming\u201d OR \u201cclimate change\u201d. Different sources will use the terms interchangeably. Using OR tells Google that you\u2019d like information on both phrases since it doesn\u2019t matter the word used.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Use the hyphen (minus symbol) to exclude options in your results<\/span><\/h3>\n

Putting a hyphen before a word tells Google that you don\u2019t want pages containing the word to appear in your results. Put a space before the hyphen.<\/span><\/p>\n

This tip applies when searching for words with double meanings. For example, if you\u2019re searching for antiviral medications, searching for \u201canti-virus\u201d mostly shows results for the software, whereas the query [anti-virus \u2013software] excludes results related to software.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re researching reviews of the novel <\/span>To Kill a Mockingbird<\/span><\/i>, but you don\u2019t want sources that mention other adaptations of the text, you can search for [To Kill a Mockingbird -film \u2013movie]<\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, say you want to search for the company <\/span>Apple<\/span><\/a>, but you don\u2019t want to see results related to the fruit, you can do this by a search like this [apple -food \u2013fruit].<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Use site and country code to limit searches<\/span><\/h3>\n

Using the keyword \u201csite:\u201d (with the colon) and then typing the website limits search results to the specified site. This comes in handy when looking for information on a site that doesn\u2019t have its own search function or when the website\u2019s search function does not give very useful results.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, a search for [site:forbes.com technology] will return searches for the word technology from the Forbes.com website.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another way to limit results is to search from a type of source, such as using \u201corg\u201d for nonprofit organizations or \u201cedu\u201d for academic institutions. This can help you to get credible sources for your research. For example, you can search [site:edu healthcare cost]<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Other times, you want to explore sources from a particular country. You can include both the site and country code in your search. For example, if you want to find out what Canada is doing to address the GBV issue, you can search [site:CA GBV] to get results only from Canadian sources.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other useful Google Search tips<\/span><\/h2>\n