Searchtips

__Searching Tips__

 * ===Use a variety of keywords===
 * Search engines don't look for meaning, they look for exact words. "Town" and "village" may mean, essentially, the same thing, but search engines don't know that.
 * ===Make use of advanced search screens===


 * ===If you're looking for an exact phrase, put it in quotation marks.===


 * ===Limit your searches in order to return more relevant results===
 * In order to limit your search to .edu or .gov sites (which tend to be more reliable) add "site:edu" or site:gov" to your search terms
 * Note: you should not put the "site:edu" or site:gov" in quotation marks when you're searching. Do not put a space between the colon and .edu or .gov
 * Limiting your search to the title of the webpage can often bring back more relevant results.
 * In order to search for terms that are only in the title search intitle:term (for one search term) or allintitle:term term term (for multiple search terms).
 * Note: Do not put a space between the colon and the first term
 * ===Put the most important words first===
 * Search engines don't understand "natural language" (i.e. the way people talk)--use a string of keywords, not a sentence or question
 * It doesn't matter whether or not your search makes grammatical sense.


 * ===Vary your search strategies===
 * Different topics can require different search strategies, and different search strategies will return different results.
 * If at first you don't succeed, search again! (Or ask for help!)