| Millions of websites can be found on the Internet. Search engines are useful tools aimed at helping users get info they want. Still, the downside is that they find too much info. In this article you will find out how to effectively find what you're seeking.
So how do search engines work? Search engines make a data bank of websites by sending "spiders" or "robots" to crawl through the Web, going from link to link. When they get to a site, they index most of the words on the available pages. The search engine scans its data bank of sites to match the keywords, which you have typed in the search field, to those same keywords in pages in the database.
How to make the search more efficient?
- Specify what you're looking for
The more specific you are, the more information you'll find. Tell the search engine exactly what you're looking for. Fir instance, if you're seeking science experiments, enter School Science Fair Projects rather of science projects. If you know it's a chemistry experiment, add the word 'chemistry' to your search.
- The + symbol
Place the most crucial words in your search first. To make sure the search engine finds pages containing all the words you're searching for, use the + symbol in front of each word. For example, if you're searching for info on Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, then enter +Biel +Timberlake. Only pages which contain both words will be found.
- The - symbol
If you're searching for something specific but don't need tons of other irrelevant info, use the - symbol in front of each term. Fir instance, if you're searching for info on Roger Federer but don't want to read about his career, enter Roger Federer -Pro -Tennis Player.
- Using a "phrase search"
When search terms are put in quotation marks, it's called a "phrase search." The engine will provide pages that have the words in the exact order as in quotations. Fir instance, if you're searching specifically for a bio on Kirsten Dunst, enter "Kirsten Dunst Bio" and see what comes up.
- Combining Symbols
Once you know how the + and - symbols work, combine them for better search results. A better search, than using a bunch of subtractions, may be to do the following: "Kylie Minogue" -Fever -"CD Review"
- Using booleans
Boolean operators can be applied in most major search engines which provide advanced searching options. The most popular booleans are AND, OR and NOT. Boolean operators are like the + and - symbols. AND means "include all of the words," OR means "include any of the words" and NOT means "exclude." For example, if you're looking for info on skin care and hair care, enter skin care AND hair care. Your search will bring back sites that only include both those words. |
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