While Google is frowned upon as a serious source for your research and most (if not all) of your professors will not accept a Google document as scholarly research (Google Scholar is a little bit better), it can certainly be used as an initial information finding research tool from which you can refine your ideas and gather preliminary information before exploring other credible/reputable tools and/or resources.
Here are some tips and tricks for getting "more" out of your google searches (courtesy of HackCollege.com). If you are more of a visual learner and would like to see the below information presented as an infographic, check out the "Get More Out Of Google" link above.
Did you know there is a lot more to efficient Googling than you might think? In a recent study on student research skills, 3 out of 4 students couldn't perform a "well-executed search" on Google. When the success of your term paper hangs in the balance, using Google effectively is crucial, but most students surprisingly just don't know how.
Here are some crucial tips for refining your Googling, as well as, some other great places to hunt down that last study you need for your thesis.
Search terms called "operators" can help you get far more specific results than you would by only using generic search terms. Here are some of the most useful.
NY Times articles about test scores in college, but not the SATs, written between 2008 and 2010
site:nytime.com = site: then the url of the site only searches the pages of that site.
~college = the tilde in front of a word will also search related words, such as 'higher education' and 'university.'
"test scores" = quotation marks around a phrase searches for the exact phrase, not each of the words separately.
-SATs = the minus sign before your search term excludes this term from the search.
2008..2010 = using the two dots will show all results from within the designated time range.
A report on the different air speed velocities of common swallows. Note: don't ask Google questions. Think about how an answer would be phrased, and search for that (i.e.., never search for "what is the air speed velocity . . . ")
filetype:pdf = filetype: searches only results of the file type you designate. Can use for pdf, doc, jpg, etc.
intitle:velocity = intitle: only shows results with that word in the title (in this case, "velocity").
*swallow = the asterisk replaces itself with common terms in your search (in this case, Red Rumped swallow and Lesser Striped swallow will both be searched, along with many others).
-SATs = the minus sign before your search term excludes this term from the search.
2008..2010 = using the two dots will show all results from within the designated time range.
For most projects you work on in college, simple Googling won't do the trick on its own. Enter Google Scholar, which exclusively searches academic and scholarly work - that is, the kind of work you'll need to be citing in your papers.
Papers about photosynthesis by Dr. Ronald L. Green and Dr. Thomas P. Buttz
author: green = this will search for papers by Green rather than papers involving the word "green."
photosynthesis = just like a normal Google search, this is where the topic you're looking for goes.
"tp buttz" = for more specific results, you can put the authors full name or initials inside quotation marks.
For most projects you work on in college, simple Googling won't do the trick on its own. Enter Google Scholar, which exclusively searches academic and scholarly work - that is, the kind of work you'll need to be citing in your papers.
Good for quick word definitions. Just put define: in front of the word you want.
define: angary
For quick math problems, don't worry about opening your calculator app. Just type the equation into Google using +, -, *, / and parentheses for basic functions.
(2*3)/5+44-1
Easiest unit conversion ever. Just type what you're looking for in a sentence with the units you have and want.
54 pounds in kilograms
90% of internet users don't know how to use "Command + F" to find items on a page. If you're one of those 90%, this section is for you.*
* as 70% of students use Macs, we formatted these tips for Mac users, but many of them will work for PCs if you press "CTRL" instead of "Command."
The most important keyboard shortcut for research, ever. Press "Command + F" when looking at any document or web page, type in the word you're trying to find, and presto, all instances of the word are highlighted for you.
Sometimes online PDFs make for strained reading. Bump up the size a few notches with these simple commands:
"Command + the Plus" key (zooms in); "Command + the Minus" key (zooms out).
Doing rapid Google searches in a number of tabs can be fatiguing. Instead of mousing up tot he address bar every time, just hit "Command" + the L" key and it's already selected.
Research on the computer is always plagues by window and app clutter that grows as your work does. Use "Command + ` (the key above the tab key on the left side) to cycle through windows in a certain application, or "Command + the Tab" key to cycle applications.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, you might need to capture the state of your screen, or an image from a document. "Command + Shift + 3" screen captures your whole screen; "Command + Shift + 4" lets you draw a box around a specific area of your screen you wish to capture.
Google should never be your only research option. Most colleges' library web pages have links to wealths of resources at your disposal. This is where you can find access to scholarly databases (such as JSTOR, and others), which publish content that you can't access for free elsewhere.
Let's face it: we all use Wikipedia when conducting research. It's a great first resource to familiarize one's self with a topic, but using Wiki for a research paper is a deadly academic sin. But if you find a good wiki, check out the reference links at the bottom for more credible sources.
This tip is applicable for both digital and traditional research. If you find a great book, study, or article, chances are it cites some other great sources. Always thoroughly explore the bibliographies of your research materials for leads and look up everything you find that seems promising.
The original references are available in the lifehack.org article/infographic (the link to this infographic is at the top of this box).
