CONVENTIONS

I'm using quote marks to indicate the specific text to type in for various functions. Normally, you would not type in the quote marks.

DEFINITIONS

Type "define:" and then the word that you want defined.

EXACT PHRASE

To find an exact phrase, put quote marks around it.

EXCLUDE WORDS

To exclude any words, type the minus sign immediately before the word.

MATH

Google will perform calculations. For multiplication, use the asterisk.

MINOR WORDS

Google normally does not search for minor words, such "the." To ensure such a word is included, type the plus sign immediately before it.

"SITE" FUNCTION

The "site" function will narrow your search to a specific site or type of site. After your search expression, type "site:" and then the URL for the site you'd like to search.

For types of sites --
Use "site:edu" for colleges and universities.
Use "site:gov" for the U.S. government.
Use "site:mil" for the U.S. military.

SYNONYMS

To include synonyms in your search, type the tilde immediately in front of the word. The tilde is normally made with the shift key and the key immediately to the left of the "1" key.