1. Making the Most
of Google Searches
Learn to Search
Like a Librarian

2. Everyone Googles!
It’s no secret!

3. Making the Most of Google
Fine-tuning “googling” skills
better command of
searches leading to valid
and more reputable results.

4. Use Likely Words
 Avoid questions for queries.
 NO: Where can I find a cheap
hotel in Savannah?
 YES: cheap hotel Savannah
Avoid extra words to connect search terms.
 NO: documentation on knee replacement surgery
 YES: knee replacement surgery

5. Be Specific
 Avoid ambiguous searches.
 NO: java
 YES: Java Indonesia
 YES : java coffee
 YES: java programming
 NO: Michael Johnson
 YES : Michael Johnson guitarist
 YES: Michael Johnson sprinter
 YES : Michael Johnson Georgia Tech football

6. Brevity
 Stick with a few concise terms.
 NO: programs on how to lose weight
 YES: weight loss programs
Spelling
 Stick with a few concise terms.
 NO: programs on how to lose weight
 YES: weight loss programs

7. Stop Words
 Google ignores certain search words.
 Common Google Stop Words –
a, all, any, few, how, in, into, of, more, most, my,
only, so, some, such, the, this, those, through,
very, which, while, who, whom, why, with…
 BUT Google is “smart” enough to generalize when
not to ignore a stop word.
Example – Google will not ignore the “for,”
“whom” and “the” in a searching Hemingway’s
For Whom the Bell Tolls.

8. Become Familiar with Operators
 Minus Sign
 The minus sign excludes a term(s) in the results and
used by librarians to filter a search term
with multiple connotations.
 jaguar –football –Jacksonville –car
 #..#
 Search a range of numbers.
 Martha Stewart Halloween 2008..2011, editions 3..8
 Wildcard –> *
 Placeholder for a word(s), letter(s) or number(s).
 pumpkin * recipe, Jan * 2011, environ*

9. Become Familiar with Operators
 >
 Add site:> to only search a type of site (ex: .gov or .edu)
or a specific website url.
 grammar activities site:> .edu
 Hubble telescope images site:>nasa.gov
 or
 Tells Google to search for either variable
though not necessarily together.
 crescent moon or quarter moon
 Filetype:
 Google will only yield sources of the requested filetype.
 Women* suffrage filetype:ppt

10. Become Familiar with Operators
 define:
 Use this preceding anything unfamiliar.
 define:kerning, define:planking
 quotes:
 Surround an exact phrase with quotes.
 “But I have promises to keep, and miles to go
before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
 phonebook:
 Fast way to locate a telephone number.
 phonebook:Rite Aid Peachtree Rd

11. Become Familiar with Operators
 related:
 Browse sites with similar content.
 related:ancestry.com
 movie:
 Instant 411 of current movies –
times, reviews, rating (G, PG, PG-
13, R), trailers, etc.
 movie:Moneyball
 weather:
 Quick weather synopsis by location.
 weather:31093, weather:Paris, weather:Turner Field

12. Bibliography
Images Sources:
 http://www.huzzer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/looking-3.jpg
 http://gotlocaltraffic.com/wp-content/themes/iblogpro/images/top-ranking-
in-google-places.png
 http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/09/article-1345441-076E8826000005DC-
675_468x286.jpg
 http://www.owlsweb.info/tidbits/2004/google-spell.jpg
 http://www.nwhm.org/media/category/exhibits/spies/telephone%20operator
s%20world%20war%20I.jpg
 http://www.best-4-u.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Find-Similar-Websites-
On-the-Internet.jpg
 http://www.marcgunther.com/wp-content/uploads/google.jpg
 http://wwwcdn.net/ev/assets/images/vectors/afbig/downward-black-arrow-
clip-art.jpg
 http://www.mononarag.com/wp-
content/uploads/2010/05/real_stop_sign.jpg
 http://www.usa.gov/tutorials/auctions/images/gov_auctions_7.jpg