Search Strategies

Search Strategies for the Web

Search Engines do not operate in the same ways as the Library Catalog or Databases!

In the following tabs are tips for finding resources using search engines.

Remember the Search Field is ALWAYS a Keyword Search!

Search Engines only find words that appear on their algorithm-indexed webpages.

Brainstorm Keywords in Advance

Unique words specific to your research

Multiple words with common synonyms

Example: The Keywords, human morality in Star Wars, would return results including the words morals, moral philosophy, ethics, movies, Star Wars...

Use Quotation Marks

Place quotation marks (" ") around multiple words

This searches for the phrase rather than the individual words

Example: "Star Wars Episode VII" would return results ONLY including the exact phrase "Star Wars Episode VII".

Choose Your Keyword Order Carefully

Example: Star Wars would return different results than Wars Star.

Add a Plus Sign (+) Before Required Words

Search engines do not search for some words (i.e. an, and, the, I, where, what, how)

A (+) before a required word forces its inclusion in the results

Example: Star Wars may +the force would require a search engine to include the.

Add a Minus Sign (-) Before Excluded Words and Domains

Example: Star Wars -Trek -.com would force a search engine to NOT return results with the Keyword Trek or a .com domain name.

EMPOWER - Module 6 - Searching the Internet