|
|
Find what you want on the Web
quicker and more accurately!
Any information you could ever possibly want is out there is on the 'Net. The trick is how
to find it when you need it! One problem is that no standard method of cataloging or
indexing of sites has yet been adopted, with each search engine using its own set of
protocols. The following tips will, however, help narrow down your search results:
- Phrase It: Don't use one word searches. Instead,
type in multiple words or a phrase in quotes to increase your chances of finding useful
results.
- Be Specific: The more descriptive you can get, the
better your results. Typing in "Computer Courses for Windows 98" is better than
just "Computer Courses"
- Add it Up: Use AND or the plus sign (+) when you
want to find articles that contain all of the words you enter. For example, to find
articles on rock and roll music, try typing "rock AND roll AND music," or
"rock +roll +music". Important: Put the plus sign directly in front of the word
you want added, with no spaces ("painting +Picasso")
- Cut it Out: Use AND NOT or the minus sign (-) to
limit your results to articles with only the words you want. For example, if you want
articles about pets, but aren't interested in dogs, try typing in "pets AND NOT
dogs," or "pets -dogs." Remember: Put the minus sign directly in front of
the word you want left out, with no spaces ("psychiatry -Freud").
- More Like This: If you're getting more than you
bargained for in your results, be sure to click on the More Like This link next to the Web
link that most closely matches what you're looking for. This tells the search engine to
show you only those sites that are like the one you chose.
- Refine Your Find: If you really don't like the
results you're getting, you've got a second chance. Scroll down to the "Refine Your
Results" area at the bottom of the results page, and try tweaking your find a bit. If
you've got too many results, get more specific by adding more words. If you've got too few
results, make your find more general by removing some words.
|
|
|
