Google - advanced searching

Google has lots of options you can use to limit and filter your search if you go to Advanced Search – look under the cog wheel.  However this sometimes disappears so it can be useful to know some of the search commands you can use.

Here are some examples of what you can do.

“search term”

Enclosing a phrase in quotes will ensure that Google searches for it as a phrase and not as two separate search terms

-  (minus sign)

Using a minus sign in front of a word means that Google will not retrieve results containing that search term.

Manchester –united

site:

This command allows you to search within large websites or particular domains

site:nhs.uk

site:twitter.com

intext:

Prefix a search term with this command to force Google to use exactly what you typed rather than automatically including synonyms.

filetype:

This command lets you search by the type of file.

filetype:mp3

filetype:docx

N.B. Google won’t find doc and docx unless you include a command for both of them in your search.

Numeric range

You can use this with anything related to numbers –temperatures, weights, distances, prices.  Simply type in your two numbers separated by two full stops.

Sony TV £300..500

Compare

This isn’t actually a Google command but it works like this: - type in a search in the format compare carrots with cabbage

Google will then create a table comparing the two items – do take care though as Google can get it wrong!

Check out this Google help page for more information on Search Operators

Google Search Tools

Did you know that Google has filters called ‘Search Tools’ to help you refine your internet searching?  Usually the link appears in the menu above your search results. Once you have done your initial search simply click on the link to display your options. (Sometimes the Search tools will appear on the left hand side of your screen).

All Results

If you click on ‘All results’ you get two useful options – Reading Level and Verbatim.

Verbatim

Use this option to force Google to use your search terms exactly as you typed them.  This will stop Google from including synonyms or suggesting alternative spellings.

Reading Level

Using this option will give you the option to choose one of three reading levels – basic, intermediate, and advanced.  Click on the option you choose to retrieve just those results.  Be careful – Google does sometimes get it wrong!

Any Time

Clicking on this will give you the option to limit your search by date – last week, month, year.  Simply select the time period you require or use the custom range option if you want to set your own.

Location options

There are two different options you can use to limit by location.  

The first is Any country.  You can use this option to limit your search to the UK.

The second will often display an auto-detected location.  Click on the given location to access the option to set your own.

Is Google watching you?

Did you know that Google uses your previous searches and browsing history to ‘personalise’ your results? This means there is a good chance that when you search for something you will get a different set of results to everyone else.  This is because Google filters your results to show you the ones it thinks suit you best.

Even if you’re not signed into an account Google tracks where you have been on the internet.  It then uses this information to alter your search results to show you things that are related to your location and your interests.

This is not always a bad thing.  For a lot of searching you do it is helpful when Google ‘remembers’ your interests and pulls relevant sites higher up your results list. However, when searching for a new topic (e.g. for an assignment) you don't necessarily want Google to use this information when compiling your results.

TED talk: Beware online "filter bubbles"

There are some steps you can take to make your searching more ‘neutral’.

Step One

Make sure you are not signed into a Google account.

Step Two

You can use a private browser window, or incognito if you are using Chrome.

Internet Explorer      Ctrl+Shift+P

Chrome                     Ctrl+Shift+N                                     

FireFox                      Ctrl+Shift+P

Step Three 

If you want to take it a step further you can delete your browsing history.

Internet Explorer      Click Tools > Delete Browsing History

Chrome                     Click on the button on the right of the address bar > History > Clear Browsing Data

Firefox                       Click Firefox > Preferences > Clear Your Recent History > Clear Now (Ensuring you tick ‘browsing and download history’ and ‘clear cache’)