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MFG Library Website: Making Google work for you

Search Tools

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If using Google Search, first of all filter your results by file type. Do this by clicking on the icons under the search box in your results page (ie: do you want All results? Images? News? Maps? Videos? etc).

Now use the Search Tools button to further refine your search results. For example:

  • if searching for information on an Australian topic such as the Great Barrier Reef, limit your search to Australian websites clicking Search Tools / Any country / Country: Australia
  • If this doesn't work, your default Google may not be set to google.com.au, and instead just 'google.com.' if you wish to make this option appear, simply add '.au' after the .com in the url.
  • if searching news sites for information on the climate change, limit your search to news from the past week only by clicking Search Tools / Recent / Past Week
  • if searching for images of the Pyramids of Giza, avoid breaching copyright by clicking Search Tools / Usage Rights / Labeled for non-commercial reuse
More information about how to filter Google search results can be found here.
If using Google Search, first of all filter your results by file type. Do this by clicking on the icons under the search box in your results page (ie: do you want All results? Images? News? Maps? Videos? etc).

 

Boolean Operators

AND+, OR, NOT-, " "

The Boolean search operators AND (+), OR and NOT (-) and " " help reduce the number of irrelevant 'hits' in the results list generated by web search engines.

AND narrows the search by requiring all two keywords entered feature in each 'hit' in the results list. So if you're researching the safety of air bags in cars, by entering airs bags +safety +cars into the search engine, each result will contain all three keywords.

OR broadens the search to include terms that mean the same thing. So if you're researching attention deficit disorder, by entering attention deficit disorder OR ADHD into the search engine, each result will contain at least one of the keywords.

NOT eliminates unwanted terms from the search results. So if you're researching how fast the jaguar can run, by entering jaguar speed -car, each 'hit' will contain the word jaguar but not car.

Finally, putting speech marks around keywords that are connected in meaning forces the search engine to treat them as a phrase and search for them together. So if you're researching climate change, by entering "climate change" each 'hit' will contain both words in this order. 
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This website offers some other tips for getting the most from Google.

Helpful commands

Ctrl + F

As you first open a webpage from your search results, skim your eye over it. Ask yourself

  • does the title and subtitles match what I am looking for?
  • are the images relevant and useful?
  • do the first couple of sentences under each heading seem relevant?
  • can I see any key words from my assignment?

The final question above can be easily answered by holding down 'control + F'.

This opens up a search box in the top right-hand corner of the website. Enter the keywords from your search strategy to find where these are located within the website.

Ctrl + Click

It's easy to get 'lost' when exploring a website. Using the menu tabs or site maps will help you find your way around websites you think are relevant to your question.

Clicking on hyperlinks within a web page can quickly take you away from the home site.

If you hold down the 'Control' key when clicking on a hyperlink, it will open as a separate page.  

When you are finished reading this page you can simply close it. You won't have to click on 'back' to return to where you started.

 

Other shortcuts:

Ctrl + T Open a new tab

Ctrl + W: Close the tab

Alt + left and right arrow: Is the same as pressing the back and forward button next to the page address

Analysing & Evaluating Websites - Senior and Junior Explanations

C.R.A.A.P. test for evaluating a website...

Check the quality of your websites using these criteria (adapted from QUT Library): SENIOR

Currency: Timeliness of the information

  • When was the information published, posted or last updated?
  • Is the information current for your topic and field of study? How recent does it have to be? Can older sources work just as well?
Relevance: Importance of the information for your needs
  • Is the information appropriate for a senior secondary course?
  • Is this an adequately in-depth examination or a quick summary of the topic?
  • Who's the intended audience? Is it the general public, a student, a researcher or industry?
  • Is the level of information too basic or too advanced for your needs?

Authority: Source of the information

  • Is the author/authoring body (individual person, or institution, or organisation) established and reputable?
  • Are their qualifications, credentials, expertise, experience, educational background and previous work (if any) relevant and do they add credibility to the source?
  • Has the piece been published by a well-known and respected publisher or organisation?
  • Do references to other sources support the writing ie is a Bibliography or Reference List provided?

Accuracy: Reliability and correctness of the information

  • Where does the information come from, and is it supported by evidence?
  • Does it have a Reference List or Bibliography so you can easily find and verify the sources used?
  • Are there any spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: Reason the information exists

  • What is the purpose of the information? Why was it written?
  • Does the point of view appear objective, unbiased and impartial?
  • Is the viewpoint of the author's affiliation/ sponsors reflected in the message or content?
  • Does the author acknowledge alternative versions of the issues or facts?

 

Is this site trustworthy?

One quick way you can determine if a website is trustworthy or not is to look at its domain.

Look for websites that end with the domain:

.edu  - reserved for schools, colleges and universities

.gov - denotes a government website

Be wary of websites that end with the domain:

.com - can be purchased and used by any individual for any purpose

.net - can be purchased and used by any individual for any purpose

.org - is usually used by non-profit/charity organisations which may have an agenda of persuasion rather than education

Great resources to use

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