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How to search Google better

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University Library
University of Stirling
Stirling
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01786 467250

http://www.stir.ac.uk/is/student/help/

Welcome

Welcome to a Guide for Google

Everyone uses Google but not everyone knows how to search Google in the most effective way!

Tips on how to search Google effectively

Search tips from Daniel Russell a Google Research Scientist: http://www.johntedesco.net/blog/2012/06/21/how-to-solve-impossible-problems-daniel-russells-awesome-google-search-techniques/

In summary:

  • Use quotes to search for phrases “ ”
how to dance like lady gaga”
  • Don’t bother typing AND in your search queries. Google treats it like any other word, for example search:

fish chips

  • OR (in capitals) works for finding synonyms
    Smith denied” OR “Smith claimed” OR “Smith argued”
    Will find more pertinent websites about the controversy involving Smith
     
  • To exclude words from your results use minus sign -
You’re visiting Edinburgh but don’t want to visit the castle
Edinburgh -castle
 
  • Use intext:[keyword] to ensure that exact word appears on the web page:
    intext:”San Antoniointext:Alamo
     
  • Use site:[url] to search a specific site or domain 

Google Scholar

 Google Scholar http://scholar.google.co.uk

Screenshot of Google Scholar

—A simple way to broadly search for “scholarly” literature
—Searches journal articles, theses, books, etc.
—Advanced Search option
 

 

—On campus access via the A-Z list of online resources from the Portal – this allows you to see "Univ. of Stirling Links" in the results (this is a link you can use to check whether we have full text of articles).
 
—Off campus, to view Stirling's links, use the Scholar Settings option (right hand side corner of the Google scholar page), choose Library Links, search for Stirling, select the Stirling University Library option. Click Save.
Screenshot of the Scholar settings page
Note you can also set up importing to a bibliographic software package, e.g., Refworks at this stage

Google Alerts

 

  • Google Alerts are email (or RSS) updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your queries
  • Enter a search query you wish to monitor – choose settings
  • “wind turbines” site:uk
     
    Screen shot of google alerts page