Search
Techniques &
Strategies
Which Link Should I Follow?
Web Search Lesson Plan
Module B1
The Anatomy of a Search Results Page
What are these parts called?
The Anatomy of a Search Results Page
1
6 5
2
1. Search Result
4 3 2. Title
3. Snippet
4. Web Address
5. Sponsored Link (Ad)
6. Left Panel
Give It a Try!
What can I learn about my results from these web addresses?
www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq56-1.htm
www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/taiping.htm
britishbattles.homestead.com/eastasia.html
www.redcoat.me.uk/Rev-War.htm
scs.student.virginia.edu/~vjil/PDF/48_249-306.pdf
Try a search and discuss what links you would choose. Give
evidence for your results.
Type [walk the plank] into your Google search bar very slowly. What
different searches does Google Instant think you are doing while you
type?
Features & Operators
Hello Operators
Web Search Lesson Plan
Module C1
Google Search Operators
Powering Up Your Search
What is an Operator?
! ""
% *
An operator is a symbol that modifies the
words or numbers around it. &
+ You already know some operators!
_
>
()
$ #
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.
Search Tools
Using Operators to Narrow Your Search
Exclusion (-)
The minus symbol (-) excludes words from
your search results.
Try these searches:
[panthers]
[panthers -sports]
What do you notice?
Inclusion (+)
The plus symbol (+) makes sure the word it
precedes is used exactly as you entered it.
Try these searches:
[ball]
[+ball]
What do you notice?
Similar Words (~)
The tilde symbol (~) includes similar words
in your search results.
Try these searches:
[food store]
[~food ~store]
What do you notice?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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:
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.
