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What is a search engine?
A search engine is a program that helps you find the web pages you need on the internet.
Search engines don’t search the entire web but only an index of it.
Some examples of search engines include Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Ask.
Additionally, there are specialist search engines like Libresoft Librarian+.
How to do a basic Google search?
The following images show you what a result page looks like:
The following images show you what a result looks like:
Useful search engine techniques
Boolean Search Operators
Imagine you're a detective trying to find a specific book in a giant library. You know the author's name, but there are lots of books by that author. How can you narrow down your search?
That's where Boolean search operators comes in! It's a special way to use words to make your Google searches more precise.
The Magic Words: AND, OR, and NOT
AND: This tells Google to find results that have both words. For example, if you search for cats AND dogs, Google will show results that have both cats and dogs in them.
OR: This tells Google to find results that have either word. So, if you search for pizza OR pasta, Google will show results that have either pizza or pasta (or both) in them.
NOT: This tells Google to exclude results that have a certain word. If you search for dogs NOT cats, Google will show results that have dogs but not cats.
Have a go at using the above Boolean search operators by using the Google search engine.
The following image is an illustrated version of the three Boolean search operators using the words 'black' and 'white'
Other Google Search Tips
Have a go at using these Google Search Tips with the examples show below:
1. Use Quotation Marks:
Why: This tells Google to search for the exact phrase.
Example: Search for "best pizza in New York" to find specific recommendations.
2. Use Minus Sign:
Why: This tells Google to exclude results with a specific word.
Example: Search for dogs -cats to find results about dogs but not cats.
Remember: The more specific your search, the better your results will be. Experiment with these tips to see how they can help you find the information you need!
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