Week 10: Advanced Google Search Assignment

Introduction

In this assignment, you will synthesize what you have learned about searching strategies with the Advanced Search function on Google. Label each response with the corresponding number (1. / 2.  and so on)

Assignment

1. Write down the complete tentative research question your group finalized last week.
   
   
2. Identify 8-10 keywords, including possible synonyms, that you could use in your search for information on this tentative research question. Using the keyword matrix below as an example, identify all the keywords you have chosen.
   
   
3. Using the example in the video "How to Use Advanced Google Search Links to an external site." and what you learned last week about search strategies (Boolean operators (AND, OR, or NOT, in your statement), Phrase searching (use quotation marks around two or more words), and Truncation (asterisk) or Wildcard (question mark)), conduct a search via the Advanced Google Search function on Google using the keywords you identified for your tentative research question.
   
   • First, do a regular search in regular Google the way you normally would. How many results did this yield? 
   • Second, use keywords in the first field: "all these words". Which words did you use, and how many results did this yield?
   • Third, keep what you have in the first field, add keywords and/or search strategies in the second field: "this exact word or phrase". Which keywords/search strategies did you use, and how many results did this yield?
   • Fourth, keep what you have in the first and second fields, and add keywords and/or search strategies in the third field: "any of these words". Which keywords/search strategies did you use, and how many results did this yield?
   • Fifth, keep what you have in the first three fields, and add keywords and/or search strategies in the fourth field: "none of these words". Which keywords/search strategies did you use, and how many results did this yield?
     
     
4. In the second panel on this page, "Then narrow your results by....", you will find more ways to limit your results. Try as many of these as you can. Write 4-5 sentences outlining how these changes impacted your results in number and quality.
   
   
5. Identify two promising sources you found that directly or substantially address your tentative research question. Cite these using MLA 9 Links to an external site.. campusguides.glendale.edu/cite/mla9 Links to an external site.

Keyword Matrix