Academic Information on the Internet
Google Search is a good addition to databases for finding information freely accessible on the internet, e.g., documents, laws, instructions, open-access journals, radio shows and podcasts, study materials, etc. Google Search is also best for finding scientific materials and blogs uploaded to author’s homepages.
Here are some tips for building up a Google search. For more information, see https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/134479
- Keep your search as simple as possible. If you limit your search too much, you will miss relevant information. A large number of results is expected. It is essential to get relevant results among the first ten results.
- All words in the search box are searched, meaning that there is the operator AND between the words by default.
- The operator OR must be typed in capitals.
- Instead of the operator NOT, – is used, e.g., if you want results on electronic products and not fruits, you can search for apple -tree.
- Try out different words or forms you think the website might use.
- Google automatically searches synonyms, abbreviations, and similar word forms; thus, it is not necessary to use *. However, this could add many irrelevant results. If you wish to use a word only in the form, you typed in, put the word in quotation marks. You can use * in the middle of a phrase to mark substitutable words, e.g., “largest * in the world.”
- If you want to search within one website, use site: and the URL of the website, e.g., site:academia.edu conference.
Above the search results, there are several options available to refine your search. To see the drop-down menus Any time and All results, click on Tools on the right. More choices, including the Advanced search box and the Search help page, are accessible from the link Settings next to it.
Google advanced search will not always give a smaller total number of results; it may be even more significant. However, it brings more relevant results to the beginning of the list.
Also, take into account …
… that Google personalizes search results. The selection and order of the results depend on your previous activities on Google. Use an incognito window if you don’t want your earlier actions to affect your results. The results will still be personalized by your location country, though.
… that Google doesn’t show which words were used to get a result. Sometimes some words are left out or changed. The words left out might appear under the result as crossed off, but not always.