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Using Google for Effective Research

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Google Web Search

Basic Search

Many of the search strategies you use in Discover or library databases also work in Google. These techniques can help you use Google more like a research tool, especially when you're looking for government reports, policy documents, or open-access academic materials. Here are some powerful techniques to help you get better results when searching with Google:

Removing the AI Overview

AI is everywhere now. If you are interested in removing the AI Overview generated by a Google Search, there are a few methods to use. Please note that you cannot completely remove the embedded AI but you can hide the AI Overview.

1. Use the minus sign (exclude operator, see more below) and AI.

Example:

crop circles mystery -AI

According to Jason Cohen from PCMag, "adding something like -AI at the end of the search query, the AI Overview will be stripped from the results page. This isn't because Google added an AI kill switch in its code. Rather, the modifier is breaking Google's algorithm to surface the AI overlay." (2025).

2. Filter to Web Results

Enter your search terms, then under More, select Web.

For more technical methods of disrupting Google's AI Overview, check out Jason Cohen's article from PCMag "I Figured Out How to Turn Off Google's AI Overviews. It's Like a Whole New Internet"

Use Synonyms with “OR”

Different words or phrases can describe the same concept. Combine them with OR (in capital letters) to broaden your search.

Example:
global warming OR climate change
genderqueer OR gender non-conforming OR non-binary

Use Quotation Marks for Exact Phrases

Quotation marks tell Google to search for the exact phrase in the order the words appear between the quotation marks, not just the individual words.

Example:
"Indigenous Peoples"
"social media addiction"

Search Within Specific Sites

Use site: to limit your search to a particular website or domain. Please note: There is NO SPACE between the colon and domain you want to search.

Examples:

leadership site:gc.ca → Searches Government of Canada websites
climate change site:gov.bc.ca → Searches BC government sites
mental health site:org → Searches non-profit organizations
education site:.ca → Searches Canadian websites
tuition site:.edu → Searches U.S. university websites

Exclude Terms

Use a minus sign - to remove unwanted results.

Example:
blue jay -baseball → Finds info about the bird, not the baseball team.

Search Page Titles

Use allintitle: to find pages with your keywords in the title. Great for narrowing results. Once again, no space after the colon.

Example:
allintitle:climate change policy

Search for Specific File Types

Use filetype: to find PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, Excel files, and more.

Examples:

climate change filetype:pdf
marketing trends filetype:pptx
budget planning filetype:xls

Some Extra Tools

Google Alerts

Google Alerts is a free tool from Google that lets you monitor the web for specific topics or keywords. When new content matching your chosen keywords appears online, such as news articles, blog posts, or web pages, Google sends you an email notification. You do need to have a Google account for this to work.

Here's how it works:

  • You choose keywords: For example, “open access publishing” or “ethical uses of educational technology.”
  • Set preferences: You can choose how often you get alerts (as-it-happens, daily, or weekly), the sources (news, blogs, web), language, region, and how many results you want.
  • Receive alerts: Google emails you links to new content that matches your criteria.

Common uses:

  • Professionally: Track mentions of your institution, research topics, or industry trends.
  • Personally: Follow news about public figures, hobbies, or niche interests.
  • Academically: Stay updated on developments in a specific field or monitor citations of your work.

Google Spell Checker

Try this quick way to see if you got the spelling correct. Just enter the word in the search box and click search. If it's an ooops, Google will give you a correct spelling.

Current Time

Want to know the time in Japan? Norway? Iceland? Enter "time" in the Google search box followed by the name of the city or country. For example: try time Incheon

Math and Conversion

Multiplication? Subtraction? Fraction division? Use Google calculator. Try entering a calculation like 227 * (345/4 + 23) or 4*3+(sqrt 20)^44=. Too much? Check out Google's calculator information sheet where you will find the rules for trig functions, algorithm base 10, circumference to the diameter of a circle, physical constants and much more.

Find currency conversions. For example: 100 EUR in dollars

Change inches to centimeters? Kilometers to miles? Quickly convert between different units of measurement. Type the units of measurement you wish to convert to and from into the search box:  chains to rods

Specific Information

Find flight arrival and departure times. For example: AC 221

Look up a movie.  Type - movies True Grit - into the search box.