Google is the currently the best internet search engine by a long way, so much so that the others aren't even worth mentioning anymore. At minimum, you can simply type in what you're searching for and hit the "Search" button.

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Like any tool, Google requires skill to use productively. Serious academic searching requires an understanding of the advanced search operators and how to use them. For instance, if you're interested in Roman architecture in Bath, UK, you may want to formulate a query like

"roman architecture" UK Bath -tubs -tub -shower

Otherwise your results will be drowning in plumbing websites. Note the quotation marks around "roman architecture" that ensures that the phrase is searched for, not each word separately. Note the "-" before "-tub", that ensures that web resources with the word "tub" do not appear. It is well worth your time to read, understand and use the advanced operators listed below:

"+" search

Google ignores common words and characters such as where, the, how, and other digits and letters which slow down your search without improving the results. We'll indicate if a word has been excluded by displaying details on the results page below the search box.

If a common word is essential to getting the results you want, you can include it by putting a "+" sign in front of it. (Be sure to include a space before the "+" sign.)

For example, here's how to ensure that Google includes the "I" in a search for Star Wars, Episode I:

Star Wars Episode +I

Synonym search

If you want to search not only for your search term but also for its synonyms, place the tilde sign ("~") immediately in front of your search term.

For example, here's how to search for the health dangers of pigments and paints etc.:

~pigments ~poison

"OR" search

To find pages that include either of two search terms, add an uppercase OR between the terms.

For example, here's how to search for a museum in either London or Paris:

museum london OR paris

Domain search

You can use Google to search only within one specific website by entering the search terms you're looking for, followed by the word "site" and a colon followed by the domain name.

For example, here's how you'd find admission information on the Stanford University site:

admission site:stanford.edu

Numrange search

The numrange operator searches for results containing numbers in a given range. You can use Numrange to set ranges for everything from dates ( Willie Mays 1950..1960) to weights ( 5000..10000 kg truck). Just add two numbers, separated by two periods, with no spaces, into the search box along with your search terms, and specify a unit of measurement or some other indicator of what the number range represents.

For example, here's how you'd search for reasonably expensive paintings:

painting $20,000..$100,000

Fill in the blanks "*" search

Sometimes the best way to ask a question is to get Google to 'fill in the blank' for you. You can do this by adding an asterisk "*" in the part of the sentence or question that you want filled in.

For example, here's how you'd search for who invented the parachute:

the parachute was invented by *