Tech-Ease: Internet Questions and Answers

Quick answers to real classroom technology questions. An online service of the Educational Technology Clearinghouse.

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How can I use a search engine to find the sites I want instead of ten thousand sites I don't want?

There are millions of pages of information on the World Wide Web, and finding relevant and reliable information can be a challenge. Search engines are powerful tools that index millions of web sites. Search engines are rated by the size of their index. Large engines such as Google are good tools to use when searching for obscure information, but one drawback to an extensive index is the overwhelming number of results on more general topics. There are a number of ways you can format your search request to increase the relevance of the links returned by the search engine.

Common commands for search engines include:

Quotation Marks ( " )
Using quotation marks will help to find specific phrases involving more than one word. For example: "Martin Luther King"

Addition Sign ( + )
Adding a + sign before a word means that it MUST be included in each site listed. For example: + Florida + taxes

Subtraction Sign ( - )
Adding a - sign before a word means that it will NOT appear in the sites listed. For example: + Washington -DC

Asterisks ( * )
Asterisks can be used for wild-cards in some search engines. For example: Mexic* will look for Mexico, Mexican, Mexicali, etc.

Support for these commands, as well as for Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT varies by search engine. You should become familiar with the features supported by each search engine by visiting that search engine's help section.

Additional Websites

The Internet: Ideas, Activities, and Resources

Internet 101

net.Tutor

A Teacher's Guide to School Websites

Making the Connection

Technology at Harvard Law: RSS 2.0 Specification

Podcasting and iTunes

The WebQuest Page

ETC HOME
TECH-EASE HOME INTERNET FAQ SEARCH

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Tech-Ease for Windows is your source for just-in-time answers for classroom technology questions. A companion Tech-Ease for Mac site is also available. This collection is a part of the Educational Technology Clearinghouse. Funding for Tech-Ease content development has been provided by the USF College of Education and various grants from the Florida Department of Education. Copyright 2009 by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida.

			Quick answers to real classroom technology questions. An online service of the Educational Technology Clearinghouse.
ETC HOME	TECH-EASE HOME	INTERNET FAQ	SEARCH
How can I use a search engine to find the sites I want instead of ten thousand sites I don't want? There are millions of pages of information on the World Wide Web, and finding relevant and reliable information can be a challenge. Search engines are powerful tools that index millions of web sites. Search engines are rated by the size of their index. Large engines such as Google are good tools to use when searching for obscure information, but one drawback to an extensive index is the overwhelming number of results on more general topics. There are a number of ways you can format your search request to increase the relevance of the links returned by the search engine. Common commands for search engines include: Quotation Marks ( " ) Using quotation marks will help to find specific phrases involving more than one word. For example: "Martin Luther King" Addition Sign ( + ) Adding a + sign before a word means that it MUST be included in each site listed. For example: + Florida + taxes Subtraction Sign ( - ) Adding a - sign before a word means that it will NOT appear in the sites listed. For example: + Washington -DC Asterisks ( * ) Asterisks can be used for wild-cards in some search engines. For example: Mexic* will look for Mexico, Mexican, Mexicali, etc. Support for these commands, as well as for Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT varies by search engine. You should become familiar with the features supported by each search engine by visiting that search engine's help section.			Additional Websites The Internet: Ideas, Activities, and Resources Internet 101 net.Tutor A Teacher's Guide to School Websites Making the Connection Technology at Harvard Law: RSS 2.0 Specification Podcasting and iTunes The WebQuest Page
ETC HOME	TECH-EASE HOME	INTERNET FAQ	SEARCH
Site Map \| Submit a Question \| About Tech-Ease \| Privacy Policy \| ETC Home Tech-Ease for Windows is your source for just-in-time answers for classroom technology questions. A companion Tech-Ease for Mac site is also available. This collection is a part of the Educational Technology Clearinghouse. Funding for Tech-Ease content development has been provided by the USF College of Education and various grants from the Florida Department of Education. Copyright 2009 by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida.