General Search Engine Tips
Use more than one word and be specific
In general, the more specific you are, the better your results will be. A search for "ford explorer" will produce better results than a search for "cars".
Search for any exact phrase
When searching for phrases such as Better Business Bureau or Better Homes and Gardens, enclose the phrase in quotation marks, i.e. "better business bureau" or "better homes and gardens." Using the quotation marks tells the search engine to find those exact words in sequence.
Use the plus (+) and minus (-) signs
Use the "+" (plus) sign to designate words that must be contained in your search results. For example, if you enter +billiards +rules, you'll receive the rules of the game. Enter the "-" (minus) sign to designate words that must not be contained in your search results.
Mark each word appropriately. For example, if you search for +billiards -equipment -supplies, you'll avoid the billiards-related documents that emphasize equipment and supplies. Do not leave any space between the sign and the designated word.
Try Boolean operators
Boolean operators tell a search engine's concept-based search mechanism to turn off, allowing you to search for documents that contain exactly the words you are looking for. Boolean operators include AND, AND NOT, OR, and parentheses. These operators must appear in ALL CAPS with a space on each side in order to work.
AND
Documents found must contain all words joined by the AND
operator. For example, to find documents that contain the words "dogs," and
"kittens," and "cats," enter:
OR
Documents found must contain at least one of the words joined by OR. For example, to find documents that contain the word "dog" or the word "kitten," enter:
NOT
Documents found cannot contain the word that follows the term "NOT." For example, to find documents that contain the word "cats" but not the word "kittens," enter:
( )
Parentheses are used to group portions of Boolean queries together for more complicated queries. For example, to find documents that contain the word "dogs" and either the word "cats" or the word "kittens," enter: