Google References

compiled by Joel May,

Google indexes and searches billions of webpages and is the premier search engine on the internet.
A quick analysis of the search results page is helpful to understand and analyze the search results.
Learn the essentials of Google Search and how to set your preferences. Get Help here.

Advanced Search Operators

Adapted from Google Guide by Nancy Blachman
Search Operators Short Description
      + (plus sign)
      - (minus sign)
      " " (quotes)
      OR
      ~ (tilde)
      .. (two periods)
      * (asterisk)
 Include the prefixed word in a search
Exclude the prefixed word from a search
Search for the words within the quotes in order
Include either or both of the words preceeding and following the operator
Include synonyms of the prefixed word
Include all numbers from the one preceeding to the one following the operator
A wildcard. Substitute any word or words for the operator
      site:
      link:
      filetype:
      allinanchor:
      inanchor:
      allintext:
      intext:
      allintitle:
      intitle:
      allinurl:
      inurl:
      author:
      group:
      insubject:
      msgid:
      location:
      store:
 Restrict results to a website or domain
Find pages that link to a web page
Find documents of the specified type
All query words must appear in links to the page
Terms must appear in links to the page
All query words must appear in the text of the page
The terms must appear in the text of the page
All query words must appear in the title
The terms must appear in the title of the page
All query words must appear in the URL
The terms must appear in the URL of the page
Find Groups messages from the specified author
Find Groups messages from the specified newsgroup
Find Groups messages with the specified subject
Find Groups messages with the specified msgid
Find News articles from sources located in the specified location
Find Froogle products from the specified store
      cache:
      info:
      related:
 Show cached version of web page
Find information about a web page
List web pages similar the specified web page