Google Search Tips
There are a few ways to conduct more effective Google searches. Use these in addition to your search terms.
1. Use the limiter site: to filter for websites that end in a specific domain.
Examples
- site:.gov returns sites that end with .gov
- site:.edu returns sites that end with .edu
- site:.org returns sites that end with .org
![screenshot of a Google search for the words "site:.gov social work advocacy"](https://libapps.s3.amazonaws.com/accounts/259307/images/2020-09-29_12-37-37.png)
2. Use the same limiter to search a specific website. This can be more effective than using the search feature on a website.
Examples
- site:cdc.gov returns results from the CDC website
- site:aurora.edu returns results from the Aurora University website
3. Use the limiter filetype: to search for specific types of material.
Example
- filetype:pdf returns only pdf results