Advanced Search Strategies

by Greg R Notess gregnotesscom

Montana State University

SearchEngineShowdowncom

Twitter notess

bull Arstechnica sniprcomgdork14

WebSearch University 2014 2

bull Arstechnica sniprcomgdork14

WebSearch University 2014 2

Overview

bull Advanced Search Pages

bull Advanced Search Commands

bull Filters amp Limits

bull Prefixes

WebSearch University 2014 3

Remaining Google Advanced

Search Pagesbull Web googlecomadvanced_search

bull Images googlecomadvanced_image_search

bull News newsgooglecomnewsadvanced_news_search

bull Books googlecomadvanced_book_search

bull Patents googlecomadvanced_patent_search

bull Gone Groups Video Shopping Blogs (and basic)

bull Scholar Exists but No Direct Link

WebSearch University 2014 4

Remaining Google Advanced

Search Pagesbull Web googlecomadvanced_search

bull Images googlecomadvanced_image_search

bull News newsgooglecomnewsadvanced_news_search

bull Books googlecomadvanced_book_search

bull Patents googlecomadvanced_patent_search

bull Gone Groups Video Shopping Blogs (and basic)

bull Scholar Exists but No Direct Link

WebSearch University 2014 4

Filters Google Search Tools

bull Tools Vary Depending on Database

ndash Web Search

bull Time Results Location

ndash Image Search

bull Size Color Type Time Usage Rights More ()

ndash News Search

bull NewsBlogs Time Sort

ndash Book Search

bull Any Books Any Documents Any Time Sort

ndash Video Search

bull Duration Time Quality CC Source

WebSearch University 2014 5

Web Results Search Tools

bull More Tools When Signed In

bull Features Have Been Disappearing

bull ldquoResultsrdquo Includes Verbatim Reading Level

ndash Verbatim Not Able To Combine With All Features

WebSearch University 2014 6

Exact Searches

bull Exact Search Options

ndash Verbatim search tool

ndash intext prefix

ndash ldquophrase marksrdquo ldquoaroundrdquo ldquoeachrdquo ldquoword or

phraserdquo

WebSearch University 2014 7

Phrase Searching

bull Default Ranking at Google

bull ldquomost important advanced featurerdquo

bull Phrase Search or Exact or Precision

bull Changing Functionality

WebSearch University 2014 8

Not Always Phrase Exact or

Precisebull ldquolinded datardquo

bull Google Zero Results

ndash Gives Alternative Results amp Explanation

bull Bing Zero Results No Explanation

ndash + Forces Precision and Shows Zero

bull Other Databases

ndash May Appear to Work but May Not Be Precise

ndash libguidescom Example

WebSearch University 2014 9

Web Results Search Tools

bull More Tools When Signed In

bull Features Have Been Disappearing

bull ldquoResultsrdquo Includes Verbatim Reading Level

ndash Verbatim Not Able To Combine With All Features

WebSearch University 2014 6

Exact Searches

bull Exact Search Options

ndash Verbatim search tool

ndash intext prefix

ndash ldquophrase marksrdquo ldquoaroundrdquo ldquoeachrdquo ldquoword or

phraserdquo

WebSearch University 2014 7

Phrase Searching

bull Default Ranking at Google

bull ldquomost important advanced featurerdquo

bull Phrase Search or Exact or Precision

bull Changing Functionality

WebSearch University 2014 8

Not Always Phrase Exact or

Precisebull ldquolinded datardquo

bull Google Zero Results

ndash Gives Alternative Results amp Explanation

bull Bing Zero Results No Explanation

ndash + Forces Precision and Shows Zero

bull Other Databases

ndash May Appear to Work but May Not Be Precise

ndash libguidescom Example

WebSearch University 2014 9

Exact Searches

bull Exact Search Options

ndash Verbatim search tool

ndash intext prefix

ndash ldquophrase marksrdquo ldquoaroundrdquo ldquoeachrdquo ldquoword or

phraserdquo

WebSearch University 2014 7

Phrase Searching

bull Default Ranking at Google

bull ldquomost important advanced featurerdquo

bull Phrase Search or Exact or Precision

bull Changing Functionality

WebSearch University 2014 8

Not Always Phrase Exact or

Precisebull ldquolinded datardquo

bull Google Zero Results

ndash Gives Alternative Results amp Explanation

bull Bing Zero Results No Explanation

ndash + Forces Precision and Shows Zero

bull Other Databases

ndash May Appear to Work but May Not Be Precise

ndash libguidescom Example

WebSearch University 2014 9

Phrase Searching

bull Default Ranking at Google

bull ldquomost important advanced featurerdquo

bull Phrase Search or Exact or Precision

bull Changing Functionality

WebSearch University 2014 8

Not Always Phrase Exact or

Precisebull ldquolinded datardquo

bull Google Zero Results

ndash Gives Alternative Results amp Explanation

bull Bing Zero Results No Explanation

ndash + Forces Precision and Shows Zero

bull Other Databases

ndash May Appear to Work but May Not Be Precise

ndash libguidescom Example

WebSearch University 2014 9

Not Always Phrase Exact or

Precisebull ldquolinded datardquo

bull Google Zero Results

ndash Gives Alternative Results amp Explanation

bull Bing Zero Results No Explanation

ndash + Forces Precision and Shows Zero

bull Other Databases

ndash May Appear to Work but May Not Be Precise

ndash libguidescom Example

WebSearch University 2014 9

Punctuation Searching

bull supportgooglecomwebsearchanswer2466433

WebSearch University 2014 10

Symbol What you can use it for

[+] Search for things like blood type [AB+] or for a Google+ page like [+Chrome]

[] Find social tags like [google]

[amp] Find strongly connected ideas and phrases like [AampE]

[] Search for a percent value like [40 of 80]

[$] Indicate prices like [nikon $400]

[] Search for trending topics indicated by hashtags like [lifewithoutgoogle]

[-] Indicate that words around it are strongly connected like [twelve-year-old dog]

[_] Connect two words like [quick_sort] Your search results will find this pair of words either linked together

(quicksort) or connected by an underscore (quick_sort)

PREFIXES

Shortcuts to Advanced Search

WebSearch University 2014 11

Prefix Syntax

bull Typically prefixqueryword

ndash No Spaces

bull site edu Searches Both Words

ndash Some Support Phrase Search (But Not All)

bull Most (Not All) Advanced Features Have

Prefixes

WebSearch University 2014 12

Google All In vs In Prefix

bull allintitle vs intitle

bull Note that the ldquoallinhelliprdquo prefixes mean

ndash All following words will be in that field

ndash Cannot be combined with other terms most of

the time

bull The ldquoinhelliprdquo fields like intitle and intext

support phrase syntax

ndash intextldquoadvanced searchrdquo

WebSearch University 2014 13

Web Search Prefixes

site TLD domain computer name amp directory

filetype Try almost any file extension

link Shows some links to a specific URL

cache Followed by URL for cached copy of a page

info id For a URL links to cache related links site

search amp term matches

related Pages similar to URL based on link patterns

WebSearch University 2014 14

Unlisted Web Prefixes

The following are no longer listed in Google

help but still appear to work for now

intext allintext Words in body not URLs title or inbound links

intitle allintitle Words in the HTML title element

inurl allinurl Words within a URL (domain directories file name)

inanchor Words within anchor text on a page

WebSearch University 2014 15

Google Book Search

intitle Book title words

inauthor Author names

inpublisher Publisher words

subject Old advanced search form does not include all books

isbn enter with no space or punctuation ISBN-10 or ISBN-13

issn enter 8 digits with no space or dash

WebSearch University 2014 16

Google Scholar

author Instead of inauthor (or use

advanced search)

intitle allintitle For allintitle can also use

advanced search form amp combine

Other Web Prefixes Also Work

intext

filetype

site

WebSearch University 2014 17

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

Prefix Syntax

bull Typically prefixqueryword

ndash No Spaces

bull site edu Searches Both Words

ndash Some Support Phrase Search (But Not All)

bull Most (Not All) Advanced Features Have

Prefixes

WebSearch University 2014 12

Google All In vs In Prefix

bull allintitle vs intitle

bull Note that the ldquoallinhelliprdquo prefixes mean

ndash All following words will be in that field

ndash Cannot be combined with other terms most of

the time

bull The ldquoinhelliprdquo fields like intitle and intext

support phrase syntax

ndash intextldquoadvanced searchrdquo

WebSearch University 2014 13

Web Search Prefixes

site TLD domain computer name amp directory

filetype Try almost any file extension

link Shows some links to a specific URL

cache Followed by URL for cached copy of a page

info id For a URL links to cache related links site

search amp term matches

related Pages similar to URL based on link patterns

WebSearch University 2014 14

Unlisted Web Prefixes

The following are no longer listed in Google

help but still appear to work for now

intext allintext Words in body not URLs title or inbound links

intitle allintitle Words in the HTML title element

inurl allinurl Words within a URL (domain directories file name)

inanchor Words within anchor text on a page

WebSearch University 2014 15

Google Book Search

intitle Book title words

inauthor Author names

inpublisher Publisher words

subject Old advanced search form does not include all books

isbn enter with no space or punctuation ISBN-10 or ISBN-13

issn enter 8 digits with no space or dash

WebSearch University 2014 16

Google Scholar

author Instead of inauthor (or use

advanced search)

intitle allintitle For allintitle can also use

advanced search form amp combine

Other Web Prefixes Also Work

intext

filetype

site

WebSearch University 2014 17

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

Google All In vs In Prefix

bull allintitle vs intitle

bull Note that the ldquoallinhelliprdquo prefixes mean

ndash All following words will be in that field

ndash Cannot be combined with other terms most of

the time

bull The ldquoinhelliprdquo fields like intitle and intext

support phrase syntax

ndash intextldquoadvanced searchrdquo

WebSearch University 2014 13

Web Search Prefixes

site TLD domain computer name amp directory

filetype Try almost any file extension

link Shows some links to a specific URL

cache Followed by URL for cached copy of a page

info id For a URL links to cache related links site

search amp term matches

related Pages similar to URL based on link patterns

WebSearch University 2014 14

Unlisted Web Prefixes

The following are no longer listed in Google

help but still appear to work for now

intext allintext Words in body not URLs title or inbound links

intitle allintitle Words in the HTML title element

inurl allinurl Words within a URL (domain directories file name)

inanchor Words within anchor text on a page

WebSearch University 2014 15

Google Book Search

intitle Book title words

inauthor Author names

inpublisher Publisher words

subject Old advanced search form does not include all books

isbn enter with no space or punctuation ISBN-10 or ISBN-13

issn enter 8 digits with no space or dash

WebSearch University 2014 16

Google Scholar

author Instead of inauthor (or use

advanced search)

intitle allintitle For allintitle can also use

advanced search form amp combine

Other Web Prefixes Also Work

intext

filetype

site

WebSearch University 2014 17

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

Web Search Prefixes

site TLD domain computer name amp directory

filetype Try almost any file extension

link Shows some links to a specific URL

cache Followed by URL for cached copy of a page

info id For a URL links to cache related links site

search amp term matches

related Pages similar to URL based on link patterns

WebSearch University 2014 14

Unlisted Web Prefixes

The following are no longer listed in Google

help but still appear to work for now

intext allintext Words in body not URLs title or inbound links

intitle allintitle Words in the HTML title element

inurl allinurl Words within a URL (domain directories file name)

inanchor Words within anchor text on a page

WebSearch University 2014 15

Google Book Search

intitle Book title words

inauthor Author names

inpublisher Publisher words

subject Old advanced search form does not include all books

isbn enter with no space or punctuation ISBN-10 or ISBN-13

issn enter 8 digits with no space or dash

WebSearch University 2014 16

Google Scholar

author Instead of inauthor (or use

advanced search)

intitle allintitle For allintitle can also use

advanced search form amp combine

Other Web Prefixes Also Work

intext

filetype

site

WebSearch University 2014 17

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

Unlisted Web Prefixes

The following are no longer listed in Google

help but still appear to work for now

intext allintext Words in body not URLs title or inbound links

intitle allintitle Words in the HTML title element

inurl allinurl Words within a URL (domain directories file name)

inanchor Words within anchor text on a page

WebSearch University 2014 15

Google Book Search

intitle Book title words

inauthor Author names

inpublisher Publisher words

subject Old advanced search form does not include all books

isbn enter with no space or punctuation ISBN-10 or ISBN-13

issn enter 8 digits with no space or dash

WebSearch University 2014 16

Google Scholar

author Instead of inauthor (or use

advanced search)

intitle allintitle For allintitle can also use

advanced search form amp combine

Other Web Prefixes Also Work

intext

filetype

site

WebSearch University 2014 17

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

Google Book Search

intitle Book title words

inauthor Author names

inpublisher Publisher words

subject Old advanced search form does not include all books

isbn enter with no space or punctuation ISBN-10 or ISBN-13

issn enter 8 digits with no space or dash

WebSearch University 2014 16

Google Scholar

author Instead of inauthor (or use

advanced search)

intitle allintitle For allintitle can also use

advanced search form amp combine

Other Web Prefixes Also Work

intext

filetype

site

WebSearch University 2014 17

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

Google Scholar

author Instead of inauthor (or use

advanced search)

intitle allintitle For allintitle can also use

advanced search form amp combine

Other Web Prefixes Also Work

intext

filetype

site

WebSearch University 2014 17

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

site Searchbull TLD Required

ndash sitetld OR sitecompanytld OR sitesub-

areacompanytld

bull Expanded to Include Directories (Google)

ndash siteimforgexternalpubs

bull To WWW or Not To WWW

ndash Compare siteimforgexternalpubs to

sitewwwimforgexternalpubs

ndash Can Have gt1 site Operator per Query

WebSearch University 2014 18

SPECIAL SOURCES amp

TECHNIQUES

WebSearch University 2014 19

Other Google Operators

bull Numrange

ndash 5834

ndash numrange5-834

ndash library fines siteedu $101$150

bull Wildcard Word in a Phrase

ndash Represents One (or More) Word(s)

ndash a wealth of information creates attentionldquo

ndash Quotes Not Required

WebSearch University 2014 20

Other Google Operators

bull Numrange

ndash 5834

ndash numrange5-834

ndash library fines siteedu $101$150

bull Wildcard Word in a Phrase

ndash Represents One (or More) Word(s)

ndash a wealth of information creates attentionldquo

ndash Quotes Not Required

WebSearch University 2014 20

Other Google Search Sites

bull Table Search

ndash researchgooglecomtables

bull NGRAM Search

ndash booksgooglecomngrams

ndash Updated through 2008

WebSearch University 2014 21

Dan Russell

bull Anthropologist of Search

bull MOOC powersearchingwithgooglecom

bull Blog searchresearch1blogspotcom

WebSearch University 2014 22

Questions

ldquoSearch well be wiserdquo

-Aeschylus

WebSearch University 2014 23

Greg R Notess gregnotesscom

Twitter notess