Google Search Tips:

Advanced Features
By Robin Hartman, Associate Librarian
Darling Library – Hope International University

Adapted from “A Google Gambol” (Internet Librarian 2003)

Greg Notess, Creator, Search Engine Showdown
& Reference Librarian, Montana State University

Updated by Bethany Ahlberg 8/2/07

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Advanced Features of Google
Fill in the Blanks – “*”
Diacritics
Query modifiers
GAPS (proximity search)

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Fill in the Blanks – “*”

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Fill in the Blanks – “*”

You can replace unknown

words with an asterisk - “*”.

Google returns results

substituting the “*” with
words most frequently
used in the context of
the query.

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 Use “*” for:

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Possible Uses for “*”

Busted!

Searching out suspected plagiarism.

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Possible Uses for “*”

Including results with

common misspellings.

All spellings of a word

will be found.

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Possible Uses for “*”

Finding common variations.

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Fun with “*”

Finding parodies.

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 Do not use “*” for:

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Fill in the Blanks – “*”

Replacing a character.

If you try to use “*” to fill in a letter,

number, or symbol…

…Google will treat the

characters on either side
of the “*” like separate
keywords.
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Diacritics

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Diacritics
If you search for a
word with a diacritic
(distinguishing
mark) in it…

…will Google
return results with
or without the
diacritic?

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Diacritics

The
answer is:
both!

A search for unité

produces results for
both unite and unité.

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Diacritics

To limit your search to only unité, add

a “-” followed by unite.

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Diacritics

Notice how the number of

results has decreased.

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Query Modifiers

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Query Modifiers
Use these commands in the search
window.
intitle: Find sites with one search term in the title.
allintitle: Find sites with all search terms in the title.
inurl: Find sites with one search term in the URL.
allinurl: Find sites with all search terms in the URL.
site: Limit your search to a specific web site.
filetype: Specify a type of document to search.

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Query Modifiers – intitle:

Find sites with one search term in the title.

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Query Modifiers – intitle:

This search returns

sites with the word
shampoo in the
title…

…and ingredient
anywhere in the
document.

Find sites with one search term in the title.

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Query Modifiers – allintitle:

Find sites with ALL search terms in the title.

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Query Modifiers – allintitle:

Notice fewer “hits”

when shampoo
AND ingredient
must be found in
the title of the
page.

Find sites with all search terms

in the title.
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Query Modifiers – inurl:

Find sites with one search term in the URL.

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Query Modifiers – inurl:

This search returns

sites with the word
shampoo in the
URL…

…and ingredient
anywhere in the
document.

Find sites with one search term in the URL.

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Query Modifiers – allinurl:

Find sites with ALL search terms in the URL.

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Query Modifiers – allinurl:

Notice fewer “hits”

when shampoo
AND ingredient
must be found in
the title of the
page.

Find sites with all search terms

in the URL.
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Query Modifiers – site:

Limit your search to a specific web site.

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Query Modifiers – site:

Enter search terms,

then qualifier.
Finds elephant
Example 1 race on the Cal
State Fullerton
site.

Limit your search to a specific web site.

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Query Modifiers – site:

Enter search
terms, then Finds dinosaur on
qualifier. Example 2 the Smithsonian
Institute site.

Limit your search to a specific web site.

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Query Modifiers – site:
Enter search terms,
then qualifier.

Example 3
Limits search of
schwarzenegger to official
California senate pages.

Limit your search to a specific web site.

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Query Modifiers – filetype:

Specify a type of document to search.

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Query Modifiers – filetype: pdf – Adobe
readable files

Specify a type of document to search.

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Query Modifiers – filetype: pdf – Adobe
readable files

doc – Microsoft
Word documents

Specify a type of document to search.

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Query Modifiers – filetype: pdf – Adobe
readable files

doc – Microsoft
Word documents

mdb – Microsoft
Access databases

Specify a type of document to search.

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Query Modifiers – filetype: pdf – Adobe
readable files

doc – Microsoft
Word documents

mdb – Microsoft
D’oh! Access databases

jpg, gif, tif –

If you get no results from Google graphics and photos
Web, try Google Images.

Specify a type of document to search.

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Query Modifiers – filetype: pdf – Adobe
readable files

doc – Microsoft
Word documents

mdb – Microsoft
Access databases

jpg, gif, tif –

graphics and photos

ppt – Microsoft
PowerPoint presentations

Specify a type of document to search.

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Using Multiple Query Modifiers
Key words, plus…
…site: modifier, plus…

Voilà!
Search of shampoo
ingredient limited to
…equals… …filetype:
find modifier…
only PowerPoint
files on official California
government pages.

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GAPS by staggernation.com

Searching for all kinds of

cookie recipes with
chocolate – but not
oatmeal?

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 http://www.staggernation.com

This search will return:

Chocolate chip cookie recipe
Chocolate cookie recipe
Chocolate covered cherry
cookie recipe
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GAPS by staggernation.com
Google API Proximity Search
A script that searches Google for two search
terms that appear within a certain proximity
of each other on a page.
• Studies show that the closer search terms are in
proximity, the better chance that the document is
relevant to the searcher’s need.
For more info go to:
http://www.staggernation.com/gaps/readme.html

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Search Engine Showdown

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Search Engine Showdown
For in depth information on how Google
and other web search engines work, go to
Greg Notess’ Search Engine Showdown:
The User’s Guide to Web Searching at
http://www.searchengineshowdown.com/

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See More Google

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See More Google
This is one of three presentations on
Google Search Tips. Others include:
Lesser Used Features
Lesser Used Databases
Advanced Functions

8/2/2007