Building Better Google Searches: Advanced Search Strategies

     These advanced strategies are for use in the regular Google search box.

Use the minus sign (-) to exclude words:

“planet saturn” -cars

“planet saturn” -automobile

Use the all in title command (allintitle:) this way to search just website titles instead of every word on a site:

allintitle:statistics domestic violence

Use the file type command (filetype:) this way to retrieve Excel files with numeric data:

filetype:xls "domestic violence"

Use the double period command (..) this way to retrieve numeric data in a range of years:

"domestic violence" 2015..2050

Use the double period command (..) this way to retrieve numeric data greater than a given number:

"alternative fuels" 50 .. mpg Be sure to leave a space after .. and before mpg!

When searching for images, be sure to click on Images in the black toolbar at the top of the Google search screen.  It doesn't matter whether you do this before or after you run your search.

Use the whole word wildcard symbol this way: spending on * health to find spending on mental, private, public, psychological, etc., health

Google Search

     Google also has a dedicated advanced search.  To get to it from the main Google search page, click on Settings which is in the lower, right hand corner, then on Advanced search in the pop up menu.

To get to it after you have already run a search, click on gear icon/Settings near the end of the search box, and then on Advanced search in the pop up menu.

You will get an easy-to-use blank form that has the commands shown on the left and a few more built in.