Exact Phrase (" ")
Use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase. Google searches for the phrase and not the single words.
Example: "organic molecules" not organic molecules.
-
Exclude a Word (-)
Add a hyphen/minus sign before a word to exclude it from the search.
Example: jockey -underwear will return results about horse jockeys, and exclude anything about the brand of underwear.
Include a Word (+)
Add a plus sign before a word to include it in the search.
Example: apple +fruit will return results specifically about apple fruit.
Multiple Words (OR)
Use synonyms combined with “OR” to find pages that might use one of several words. The word “OR” must be in capitals otherwise Google will ignore it.
Example: global warming OR climate change
Webpage Search
Search within a webpage: use Command + F
Find Definitions (define:)
Enter define:xxxxx to find definitions.
Example: define:lipid
Site Specific (site:)
Get results from certain sites or domains.
Examples: olympics site:nbc.com and olympics site:.gov
Spelling
Google's spell checker automatically uses the most common spelling of a given word.
Capitalization
Don't worry about capitalization when searching, except when using the "OR" modifier.
Know the Domains
.com = company
.gov = government website
.edu = educational institution
.org = organization