There will simply be those times when typing something into Google just will not give you the precise result you need, or actually it does-- all one million of them. Beyond the simplest of searches, I can almost guarantee that there is a better and faster way to get you to where you need to be—simply by looking at what you type into that search box. Here are a couple of quick tips for you—
Simplify your search – Take off modifiers or common “fillers” – a search should not be a sentence or even a phrase- in most cases search engines like Google usually ignore words such as where, when, to, etc. anyway. For instance if you are looking for “where the Olympics will be in 2008” simply typing in “Olympics 2008” is a better way to go.
Be more specific about your search. This is where what they call “boolean logic” comes in – simply explained, when used, it’s a series of simple words that search engines understand as commands to modify a given search. AND, OR, NOT are commonly used Boolean terms that you can use. If you want to read more on the concept behind Boolean logic, and how it applies to your search try - Internet Tutorial on Boolean Logic. Remember that this isn’t about learning a whole new language, rather it's about understanding how a search engine’s “mind” works and mining it correctly for the information that you need.
Not all search engines support Boolean language – for more information on which search engine supports what, refer to “Boolean Search” on searchenginewatch.
Also, Google’s “Advanced Search” option allows you to easily fill out their template to narrow your search without having to employ boolean language. Aside from the usual Boolean search capabilities, some cool things that Google can do for you include a “fill in the blank” search by simply adding an asterisk to your search query—such as “The airplane was invented by *”.
Here's Part 1 of the series--Internet Research 101
Next in line for Online Research Part 3 in a series – Some Tips on Where to Go for Information – especially for small to medium businesses.
