| Your simple Google searches can be highly | | | | button. |
| effective, but they will probably work better if | | | | Google Answers: |
| you follow these suggestions: | | | | Google Answers is a service that allows users to |
| Be specific: | | | | name their own price to get research questions |
| Targeted keywords work better than more | | | | answered. Browsing questions and answers is free |
| general keywords (so the more you learn about a | | | | - and very informative - but you need a Google |
| topic, the more likely you are to create | | | | account to post a question. |
| successively more effective searches). For | | | | Google Directory: |
| example, if you are looking for information about | | | | Google Directory uses the categorization scheme |
| environmental impact statements in Alameda | | | | and sites selected by the Open Directory Project |
| County, California, a search for environmental | | | | to find information that has been vetted by |
| impact Alameda County CA gives you much | | | | experts. |
| better information than a search for environment | | | | Google Groups: |
| northern CA. | | | | Google Groups lets you search through millions of |
| Use both singular and plural forms of words: | | | | bulletin board posts made on every conceivable |
| To Google, singular and plural forms of words are | | | | subject (Google Groups are the very same |
| different words. You may need to try both | | | | Usenet Groups that predate the Web, only with a |
| singular and plural forms in successive searches. | | | | new name). In its most recent version, Google |
| For example, if you are interested in monks and | | | | has extended Google Groups, adding tools and |
| medieval music, a search for monk polyphony | | | | group list management features that go beyond |
| yields different results than a search for monks | | | | anything available through the old Usenet. |
| polyphony (so you should run both searches for | | | | Google Images: |
| the most useful results). You can run both | | | | Google Images lets you search for pictures on |
| searches together by combining the single and | | | | the Web. This service has some surprising uses |
| plural forms, for example, monk monks | | | | for researchers. |
| polyphony. | | | | Google Language Tools: |
| Use distinctive and important keywords: If you | | | | Google Language Tools lets you choose a |
| can think of an unusual word that will most likely | | | | geographic area to search, translate text, and |
| appear on most pages with information you are | | | | translate Web pages by providing a URL. You can |
| interested in, then you are most of the way to | | | | also choose another language for the Google |
| an effective, but simple, Google search. For | | | | interface (such as the Search button) if English |
| example, if you are looking for material with | | | | isn't your native language or if you just want to |
| information about building software that | | | | read everything in, say, Portuguese. |
| customizes Google, the search term Google API | | | | Google News: |
| web service probably works well - better than | | | | Google News Search provides links to recent |
| program Google. | | | | news items. If you have a Google account, you |
| One of the biggest problems with Google | | | | can set up automated search results on a topic |
| searches is sifting through the large number of | | | | and have the results e-mailed to you. |
| results that are often returned. Many of these | | | | Google Scholar: |
| results are not what you are looking for. You can | | | | Google Scholar lets you search for academic, |
| refine your search so that you only find material | | | | previewed articles and citations. Google Scholar is |
| about programming languages. Scroll to the | | | | currently in beta. |
| bottom of the first Google results page and you | | | | Google Video: |
| see the Google search box with the search | | | | A pilot program that lets you search the |
| words hello world already in it. You can add the | | | | transcripts of selected television shows displays |
| terms programming language immediately after | | | | the transcripts and still photographs. |
| the original search terms and click the Search | | | | |