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Social Work Policy Research

Google Search

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"

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

Advanced Searching

Boolean Operators

Use the Boolean Operators AND, OR and NOT to create search statements to enter in databases, Spartan Search, Google, etc.

Peanut Butter AND Jelly: only results with both peanut butter and jelly; Peanut Butter OR Jelly: results with peanut butter, with jelly, and with both; Peanut Butter NOT Jelly, results with Peanut Butter only

Examples:

  • College AND Technology AND Learning
  • (College OR Higher Education OR University) AND (Technology OR Computers) AND (Learning OR Instruction)
  • (Technology AND Learning AND Elementary ) NOT College

 

Wildcards

Wildcards allows you to search for multiple terms with the same root at once by using an asterisk. 

Examples:

  • Educat* = Educate, Education, Educational, Educator
  • Child* = Child, Children, Childish

 

Phrase Searching

Search for exact phrases using quotation marks.

Example:

  • "higher education": returns results that contain the exact phrase "higher education"