Google Search Basics

New: Google CheatSheet
New: Google Desktop Search

A. Boolean Basics.

Try each of the following searches (in bold courier font) in the search box above. You can either type them in or cut and paste them.

1. AND searches:

Google's Boolean default is AND

sites containing the terms law and california and nevada and the phrase identity theft
law california nevada "identity theft"

2. OR searches

sites containing the terms either california or nevada plus law and the phrase "identity theft"
law (california OR nevada) "identity theft"

note: parentheses enclose terms.

use the | ("pipe") for OR stand-in

law (california | nevada) "identity theft"

3. NOT searches

to exclude terms from results use the minus - sign

All sites containing the terms law and "identity theft" and either california or nevada but not "credit card"
law (california | nevada) "identity theft" -"credit card"

B. Specialized Searches

1. Search by top level domain type, e.g. gov, com, edu, mil, country (za, it)

site:gov "identity theft"
site:mil "identity theft" -"credit card"
site:edu law (california | nevada) "identity theft" -"credit card"
site:ucrextension.net internet

2. Search by domain

site:anthro-globe.com turner

Enclose phrases in quotation marks
site:sbcba.org "Robert Cannon"
site:sbcba.org "Robert W. Cannon"
site:sbcba.org Robert W. Cannon
site:gov judicial council forms
site:sbcba.org judicial council

What domain is ca? Canada or California. It depends on the context:

Search Canada for judicial and council and forms
site:ca judicial council forms

Search Canada for "judicial council forms"
site:ca "judicial council forms"

Search California goverment (note: the top level domain is gov; the next level is ca)
site:ca.gov judicial council forms

3. Combining domain and boolean searches.

Minnesota government sites containing either California or Oregon and identity theft but not credit card.
site:mn.us law (california | oregon) "identity theft" -"credit card"

4. Stocks

stocks:aol c hd orcl
stocks: aol

5. Phone books

The syntax is source: name city state

Residential Directory
phonebook: allen turner redlands ca

All Turners in California:
phonebook: turner ca

Reverse lookup

Who's number is 909 794 4146?
rphonebook: 9097944146

Business Only directory

bphonebook: san bernardino county bar san bernardino ca
bphonebook: university redlands ca
bphonebook: law library riverside ca

6. other

News Google