When you are doing research, you may want (or be assigned) to use Google to help you find sources.  While Google is a fantastic resource to find a great deal of links and resources, you have to do your due diligence to make sure that what you are looking at is a legitimate and credible site.  Below are ways to help guide you through looking at Google in an effective way to get you what you need.

IMPROVING YOUR SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH

Basic search tips 

• Use quotation marks when searching for a phrase, for example: "common sense"

• Use OR to find pages with one or more of the words in your search, for example: moonflower OR "Ipomoea alba"

Search specific sites or domains 

Limit your search to specific sites or domains by using the command site:
Useful domain searches include: 

• site:.edu searches educational websites 

• site:.gov searches U.S. government websites

Search for specific file types 

Search for specific document types, such as PDF, Power Point, etc, by using the command filetype: at the end of your search.
Some examples include:

• filetype:.pdf

• filetype:.ppt

• filetype:.doc

Find a definition 

Use command define: to return a definition for a word, for example: define:bae, define:smh

(All information from NYU Libraries)