Google-Fu for Beginners
The internet suffers from TMI*. It's filled with so much useless stuff, opinion, and wastes of time, that it can be nearly impossible to find what you're actually looking for.
So what's a person to do? Learn Google-Fu!
It's easy enough to click "Advanced Search"...it's in blue at the end of the Google search bar. If you prefer to do an advanced search manually, use these tricks:
(Insert your own search terms for "randomword".)
+randomword
(your search results will contain that word.)
-randomword
(your search results will omit sites containing that word.)
"randomword"
(only sites that have the exact word or words quoted will be displayed.)
randomword OR randomword
(sites that display either of your search terms will be displayed.)
randomword pic
(shows pictures related to your search term.)
Keep in mind that Google ignores capitalization and context. If you're looking for information on Mr. Jeromy Doors, you're going to get a lot of links related to doors...unless you put quotes around the full name, in which case you might not get the website that refers to him as Mr. J. Doors.
As to context, you have to provide that yourself. Think about what kind of results you want. Are you hoping for news articles or youtube videos? Do you want to find his personal blog, or are you just looking for anything to do with his recent court case? Depending on your goal, you might type any of the following searches:
"jeromy doors" news +court
(news articles about his court case)
"jeromy doors" youtube +"sock puppets"
(his youtube videos about sock puppets)
"jeromy doors" OR "j. doors" OR "mr. doors" Portland Tx
(you're looking for a specific person associated with Portland, Tx)
Notice that if you're searching for a phrase (such as sock puppets)you'll need to put that phrase in quotes. Otherwise, +sock puppets will mean every site will have the word sock in it, whether or not it has anything to do with puppets.
Also notice that typing the word news is no guarantee that the "news" site presented is a reputable source. Tabloids call themselves news. Double-check the reputation of your sources. For a news site, try entering the news site's name, surrounded by quotes, plus misleading or tabloid. Look at the web address of the links provided--many of them will be from the news site you're trying to check up on (you entered their name in quotes, so their site is going to be front and center). Scroll past those and find out what others are saying about them. Then, using the guidelines presented under Quick Research on this site, decide whose opinion you trust, and whose you do not.
It may sound complicated at first, but once you know what you're looking for, double-checking becomes second nature and a quick perusal will give you a good idea whether or not a site is reputable.
And if you already know all this? You've got Google-Fu.
:)
*Too much information
Cite:
Google Advanced Search (click on "tip")
