Google Search Features

for Effective and Efficient Internet Searches

Vivian Lawson, Work-Based Learning Coordinator
Effingham County High School
Springfield, GA

 

 

The Google 201-Advanced Googology session offered interesting “insider” information about utilizing Google for efficient and effective internet searches. By understanding how Google searches, users can perform useful searches quickly.  Searches can be conducted by phrases, type of info needed, file extensions, words in a title, websites, domains, synonyms, links, and related topics. The delivery method of the presenter and the PowerPoint was informational as well as humorous.    

Interesting facts about Google will capture the attention of students and educators and help the users search for information.  A Google search does not search the internet each time.  Google copies websites and then stores that information on more than 100,000 servers.   Google will display the top 1000 phrases in a search.   If an educator needs to use a website and the website is down, the cache web address may be keyed in and the web site homepage can be displayed.  If the site is older than 30 days, the user should key in archive.org for web sites back into the 1990’s.  

Google searches by phrases and uses the Boolean default of AND.   Patrick Crispen, the presenter, gave some guidelines to follow.  The guidelines are:

  1. Be specific with the phrase.
  2. Do not use quotes.
  3. Do not use pluses.
  4. Use minus to exclude certain words or phrases.
  5. Use OR rather than and.
  6. Use * for a wildcard for one or more words.
  7. Search by file type-- such as PowerPoints (.ppt) , pdf files, spreadsheets (.xls),  words in titles and specific URL classifications.

These guidelines will help users perform more efficient and effective searches.  Searching for specific types of files can be very useful for educators.

Google provides many useful features for students and teachers.  Some of these features are the phonebook and map, dictionary, calculator, currency convertor, weather, movie, and time at distance places.  Teachers can search by file types to find specific, usable documents for instruction.  For example, to search for a PowerPoint about pirates, key pirates.ppt.

Advanced Google search methods will be presented to educators and students to enable them to obtain interesting, useful information quickly and efficiently.  Google offers web sites with useful facts and new features of their services.  The information found on the websites can be used to grab students’ attention and to keep the teacher current on “Googology”. 

Obtain more information about Google by accessing the following Google addresses:  

 

http://www.google.com/support

http://labs.google.com/

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com

http://googlepress.blogscoped.com/

 

The session’s presenter, Patrick Crispin, has a website.  Access his website for more detailed information for using Google (http://www.netsquirrel.com).   

Return to Technical Articles