Pierce Library: Google: Techniques for the Web: Techniques for Searching

Refining a Google search

You can use symbols or words in your search to make your search results more precise.

Google Search usually ignores punctuation that isn’t part of a search operator.
Don’t put spaces between the symbol or word and your search term. A search for site:nytimes.com will work, but site: nytimes.com won’t.

Put @ in front of a word to search social media. For example: @twitter.

Put $ in front of a number. For example: camera $400.

Put # in front of a word. For example: #throwbackthursday

Put - in front of a word you want to leave out. For example, jaguar speed -car

Put a word or phrase inside quotes. For example, "tallest building".

Put a * in your word or phrase where you want to leave a placeholder. For example, "largest * in the world".

Put .. between two numbers. For example, camera $50..$100.

Put "OR" between each search query. For example, marathon OR race.

Put "site:" in front of a site or domain. For example, site:youtube.com or site:.gov.

Put "related:" in front of a web address you already know. For example, related:time.com.

Put "info:" in front of the site address.

Put "cache:" in front of the site address.