QA Forum

Question & Answer

We are discussing Surfing through Computers and the Internet
With Nathanael Boehm, Nan Bosler and DCITA

Question:
I have trouble finding what I'm looking for on the Internet - is there a trick to using search engines?

Answer:
Nathanael - It depends on the capabilities of the search engine you are using and whether you are searching the Internet or just a particular website, but here are a few tips that you should be able to use to improve searching:

If you know that some of the words you are looking for will appear next to each other (ie accommodation prices) then put quote marks around your search, like this:

"accommodation prices"

Another good trick is to combine this technique with probable variations:

"accommodation prices" "prices for accommodation" "accommodation pricing"

If your search includes USA websites, then remember that there are differences between US and Australian/UK English spelling of many words. So, if you are looking to order a catalogue from a US company remember to spell it how they spell it - as "catalog". Or, even better, provide both spellings in your search, using what is called a Boolean Operator (AND/OR), for example:

how can I order a catalog OR catalogue

In the end, it's all about imagining what text and features the site you're looking for will have, and using that to narrow and refine your search. They might not all be things you're interested in, but use them to find what you are looking for. Good websites will help you find them by having different spellings of words or different terminology for similar concepts (ie web, www, world wide web, Internet).

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