In this age of advanced technology and high-speed internet, information is at your fingertips. However, sifting through the vast array of knowledge to find the most pertinent details can be time-consuming. That’s why Bright Side has compiled a list of effective search techniques that will have you finding what you need in just a few clicks.
1. Searching for Either A or B
When you’re unsure of the exact information or name you’re looking for, simply add a few indicators such as a “|” or the word “or” between the keywords you’re unsure of. This will help you easily find the most reasonable results.
2. Using Synonyms
If you’re looking for websites on a particular topic rather than a specific phrase, add the “~” symbol between words with similar meanings in the search box.
For example, if you type “healthy ~food”, you’ll get results on healthy eating principles, recipes, and how to choose nutritious food.
3. Searching Within a Website
Sometimes you come across an interesting article on a website and then want to share it with friends or read it again. The easiest way to find it is to enter the website address along with a keyword or phrase from the article, and it will pop right up.
4. The Power of “*”
When you can’t quite remember the exact phrase or sentence, the “*” symbol comes in handy. Just use “*” in place of the words or phrases you can’t recall, and Google will deliver the desired results with ease.
5. Missing Multiple Words
If you’ve forgotten not just one word but half of an important phrase, try writing down the first and last words and placing “AROUND + (estimated number of forgotten words)” between them. For instance, typing “I wandered AROUND(4) cloud” will lead you to the famous poem “I wandered lonely as a cloud” by William Wordsworth.
6. Using a Time Frame
When we need to know about events that occurred during a specific time period, we can add a time frame to our search with the help of three dots between the two time markers. For example, if you want to learn about scientific discoveries in the 20th century, search for “scientific discoveries 1900…2000.”
7. Searching for Titles or URLs
To find keywords in the title of an article or website, type “intitle:” before the phrase with no space between them. To find words in the URL, use the same syntax with “inurl:”.
8. Finding Similar Websites
If you come across something you really like online and want to find similar websites, enter “related:” followed by the website address (with no space in between).
9. Exact Phrases
Putting a phrase in quotation marks is the simplest and most effective way to find something specific and in the exact order you entered it. For instance, if you type I’m picking up good vibrations without quotation marks, the search engine will display websites where these words appear in any order. However, with quotation marks, you’ll only get results that match the exact order of your search query. This is helpful when searching for song lyrics if you only know one line.
10. Excluding Unwanted Words
Phiêu Linh