1. Search Google
like a Pro
Click here to Watch the Recording!
Alyssa Novak
anovak@globeuniversity.edu
http://globeeducationnetwork.com/library

2. How Search Works
An Introduction

3. Questions About Search
What does it mean to search an index of the
web?
What are spiders? How do they help build
Google's index of the web?
How does Google search its index when you
enter a search query?
How does Google decide what search
results you really want?

4. How Search Works
Google engineer Matt Cutts explains how Google Search decides which
search results to give you, based on your search query.

5. What Does Google Do When You Search?
Search the index: Analyze the web Evaluate each Rank the web
When you click the pages for site's reputation: pages: Having
Google Search relevance: Google Google looks at scrutinized the web
button, Google screens web pages how often other pages in terms of
races through its in the index to see websites link to their relevance to
billions of web which ones are these pages to your search words,
pages to find every most likely to have determine how Google presents
page that contains what you're looking popular or useful your results, with
the word or phrase for. each one is. what we believe are
or group of words the most useful
you've used. pages at the top.

6. Understanding Search
Finding the Right Keywords to Use

7. What Matters In My Search Query?
Think of a topic or question you would like to
search for.
Pick three or four keywords to use in your
search query.
What happens if you reorder them? Add
capitalization or punctuation? What if you
take out a word?

8. What Matters In My Search Query?
Every word matters.
1 Try searching for [who], [the who], and [a who]
Order matters.
2 Try searching for [blue sky] and [sky blue]
Capitalization does not matter.
3 Try searching for [barack obama] and [Barack Obama]
Punctuation does not matter.
4 Try searching for [red: delicious! apple?] and [red delicious apple]
There are some exceptions!
* Can you think of any? Click here for a few examples.

9. Keyword Search
How do you come up with the right words to
search for? Can you remember a time when
you had trouble finding what you were
looking for? What makes certain searches
hard?

10. Tips For Better Searches
Keep it simple. Describe what you want in as few terms as possible.
1
Think of how the page you want will be written. Use words that are
2 likely to appear on the page.
Use descriptive, specific words. Avoid general or common words.
3

11. Think Before You Search
What am I What do I want? What am I trying to
looking for? find? What am I trying to find out?
What keywords could I use in my
How would I talk search query?
about this?
How would
someone else
talk about this?
How can I Which of these keywords are common or
describe this general words? Which would be more
better? specific? Are there better words I could
use?
What kind of Do I want a definition, a database, a list, a
results am I map, an image, a video, or something else?
looking for?

12. Give It A Try!
Pick a topic you want to find out about
and brainstorm keywords to use in your
search query.
Remember:
Keep it simple.
Use descriptive words.
Think of how the page you
want will be written.
And most importantly:
Think before you search!

13. Google Search Operators
Powering Up Your Search

14. What is an Operator?
! ""
% *
An operator is a symbol that modifies the
words or numbers around it. &
You already know some operators!
+ _
>
()
$ #

15. Google Search Operators
In search, an operator changes your search
query -- often with drastic results!
These operators can help you tweak, refine,
and narrow your search.
There are seven basic operators in Google
Search.

16. Search Tools
Using Operators to Narrow Your Search

17. Exclusion (-)
The minus symbol (-) excludes words from
your search results.
Try these searches:
[panthers]
[panthers -sports]
What do you notice?

18. Inclusion (+)
The plus symbol (+) makes sure the word it
precedes is used exactly as you entered it.
Try these searches:
[buddhist]
[+buddhist]
What do you notice?

19. Similar Words (~)
The tilde symbol (~) includes similar words in
your search results.
Try these searches:
[food store]
[~food ~store]
What do you notice?

20. Multiple Words (OR)
The boolean "or" (OR) includes one, the
other, or both words in your search results.
Try these searches:
[curl straighten hair]
[curl OR straighten hair]
What do you notice?

21. Number Range (..)
The dot-dot symbol (..) includes a range of
numbers in your search results.
Try these searches:
[academy awards 1965]
[academy awards 1965..1973]
What do you notice?

22. Fill-in-the-Blank (*)
The star or asterisk symbol (*) leaves space
for a missing word in your search results.
Try these searches:
[dark and night]
[dark and * night]
What do you notice?

23. Exact Phrase (" ")
Double quotes (" ") include only the exact
phrase -- the exact words in the exact order
you entered them -- in your search results.
Try these searches:
[alexander bell]
["alexander bell"]
What do you notice?

24. Putting It All Together
Can you think of particular examples when
these search operators could help you?
• Exclusion (-)
• Inclusion (+)
• Similar Words (~)
• Multiple Words (OR)
• Number Range (..)
• Fill-in-the-Blank (*)
• Exact Phrase (" ")
Source: http://www.cashedge.com/pressRoom/news_070104_bst.html

25. This lesson was developed by:
Trent Maverick
Tasha Bergson-Michelson
This lesson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share-
Alike license. You can change it, transmit it, and show it to other people.
Just always give credit to Google.com ("Attribution"), and make sure that
any works you make based on these lessons are also under the same
Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike license ("Share-Alike").
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode.

26. Comments?
Questions?
Alyssa Novak
anovak@globeuniversity.edu
http://globeeducationnetwork.com/library