Here are a few tips that will help you develop successful search strategies that will save you valuable time with your research:
Go beyond Google. It’s easy to get in the habit of using only Google, Wikipedia, or About.com. But if you rely too much on these sites, you might miss some other great resources.
Use multiple, specific, descriptive keywords. There’s a difference between searching for whales and searching for whales endangered greenpeace.
Try synonyms. A search for rare cats, for instance, can use synonyms such as exotic cats or rare felines.
Use quotation marks. A search for the president’s residence should search “White House” rather than white house.
Use a minus sign before a word to show you don’t want it included. If you are searching for mullet but you want the fish and not the hairstyle, you would enter: mullet – hair.
Pay attention to URL domains. The URL domain can be found at the end of a website address, and it tells people what kind of organization they are dealing with. Companies usually aim to sell products or services, while organizations, educational institutions, and government entities usually aim to share knowledge and improve communities.
.gov = government website
.edu = educational institution
.org = organization