5 Tips for Better Internet Research

Information floods the Internet. Whether you’re searching for some legal help or booking an airline ticket, it’s easy to go online and find what you need. Or is it?

While you’ll no doubt uncover plenty of search results by typing in a few keywords, the results page will probably produce the most basic information. Search engines such as Google are geared toward finding the most popular blog posts and websites. While those may get you started, sometimes you may want to dig for higher quality information or find something specific.

Here are 5 tips for finding what you need in the vast world wide web.

Narrow your search locations. Did you know that the Google search bar enables you to search a specific website? If you are seeking legal or medical information, for example, you may want to search a site you know you can trust, such as the American Medical Association or The North Carolina State Bar. You can save time by searching directly on a website through Google. Just type in site:theurlyouwant.com keyword. For example, site:argosybusiness.com calendar. (Note there is no period after your keyword search term and no space after the word “site.”)
Narrow your search terms. You can use Boolean search terms, search social media sites using the @ symbol, and leave out terms from your search. Take a look at the other ways Google offers to refine a search.
Try the second page. Few people venture to the second page of search results. But here you may just find a gem or two overlooked by others.
Set a Google alert or a fare alert. Avoid hours of digging and let the information come to you! Set a Google alert for a term or terms you want to monitor over time. This might be your own name or the name of your business or something else you’re watching. Similarly, you can set an airfare alert if you want to keep an eye on airline prices to a specific city.
Use libraries. Few of us have time to visit a library for massive amounts of research. Luckily, libraries have their own useful websites, with links to other valuable information. While the web is chock full of data, some of it is valid, and some of it is not factual. If you’re searching for academic or other strongly source data, start with the State Library of North Carolina or in your state. You can also try a university or county library.