Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 19:59:46 -0700
From: "Nena Smothers" <smothersnena(a)hotmail.com>
To: TEXAS-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: Genealogists favourite Google changed its
algorithm
Google Search Hints for Genealogists
http://searchforancestors.com/archives/google.html
***********************************************
Google has recently changed its algorithm to make a
number of improvements
to the way it retrieves search results. To get the
best results from your
genealogy searches, it is helpful to understand how
Google now works.
Google now uses stemming. Google will search not
only for your search terms,
but also for variations of the words. This brand
new Google feature means
that, among other things, google will now give
results for the plural and
singular of the query words you enter.
So, now, if you search for the query Philadelphia
churches, Google will give
search results for web pages that contain both
Philadelphia church and
Philadelphia churches. If you are looking for web
pages with contain only
the word churches and not church, search for
Philadelphia +churches. By
putting a plus sign before the word, Google will
skip all web pages with
variations of the word, and will give results only
with that word. Notice
that there is no space after the plus sign.
Experiment with this query
using Philadelphia churches and Philadelphia
+churches, or use your own
query, to notice the subtle difference in search
results with and without
the plus sign.
**********************************************
There are now two ways to find word definitions
using Google.
--To use Google's dictionary, type a word into the
Google search box. Click
Search, then click on your word on the blue bar on
the Google results page,
after the words [ searched the web for ]. Google
will give the definition
using
Dictionary.com.
--Google has always had a dictionary, but now you
can type in the word [
define ] followed by a space, and then the word or
phrase you want defined.
For example: [ define algorithm ] or [ define
apoplexy ] or [ define inst
] or
[ define wheelwright ].
Google will give the web definition at the top of
the search results.
You can also click on "More definitions" for further
variations, and the web
sites where the definitions are found.
Both are great for:
--Antiquated disease names, such as apoplexy,
dropsy, phthisis, or quinsy.
--Acronyms found on old documents or obituaries such
as IOOF or AOH.
--Names for old-fashioned occupations such as
cordwainer or wheelwright.
--Latin terms such as ab nepos.
--Terms found in old documents such as perch or rod.
*************************************************
The tilde ~ (that squiggly line that is on the very
upper left of your
keyboard to the left of the number 1 key) is
Google's newest operand.
Now you can search not only for a particular
keyword, but also for its
synonyms. Indicate a search for both by placing the
tilde sign ("~")
immediately in front of the keyword.
A search for ~genealogy will now give results for
genealogy, family history
and family tree.
A search for ~obits will now give results including
obits, obituaries, and
death notices.
Try your query word with and without the tilde to
notice the variation in
search results.
**************************************************
When using Google, watch your abbreviations!
Google searches for the *exact* word entered.
If you search for a location name, it searches for
web pages that contain
that name.
If in your search query, you use the location
abbreviation, Google doesn't
convert the abbreviation to the whole name, but
rather searches only for web
pages that use the location abbreviation only!
For example, Google does not consider Pennsylvania
and PA to be the same.
If you type in PA, Google will search for those
pages with PA only, and
your search will miss all the web pages that use the
word Pennsylvania.
Try searching Google for [ PA genealogy ], then
[Pennsylvania genealogy],
(or substitute your own location name and
abbreviation), and compare the
different results for each search.
Using the abbreviated location name to search for
current addresses such as
a historical society can sometimes be successful,
but if it doesn't bring
results, be sure to try the full name.
However, when searching for transcriptions of old
data, you can widen your
search by using the old-fashioned abbreviation.
Here's a list of the old style US state
abbreviations.
It's not just locations where you should watch
abbreviations.
Don't use abbreviations for descriptive keywords for
your Google queries.
Many people get no matches on their site searches
because they use
abbreviated words such a regt or reg't for regiment,
or co for company.
Google does not think that regiment and regt are the
same.
If you abbreviate a search keyword, you won't get
complete and accurate
search results.
In this case, Google will only give results of web
pages that use the
abbreviation regt only, and you will miss all the
web pages that use the
word regiment.
*************************************************
Google Directory
If you want to search with a query for the broad
subject matter such as
Ireland genealogy, enter that search term into the
Google search box.
When you get the search results, go immediately to
the tab on the top of the
results that says "directory" and click on it.
The directory is a human-edited classified listing
of URLs.
This is different from regular Google search results
which are retrieved
based on a computer search algorithm or formula .
And sometimes that human touch helps weed out
irrelevant results when you
are searching for a broad category.
When you perform the Ireland genealogy search click
on the directory, Google
lists Genuki first, which is exactly where you
should head if you are
searching Irish Genealogy.
Google next list the National Archives of Ireland
and other important sites
to search Irish genealogy.
Click on Regional Europe Ireland Society and
Culture Genealogy at the
top of the Google page. This takes you inside the
Google directory.
Try this with your own location.
Here's the Google Directory for genealogy
http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Genealogy/
Head over to the human-edited Google directory,
click around on the
different categories, and take a good look around.
**************************************************
here are more Google Search Hints for Genealogists
http://searchforancestors.com/archives/google.html
http://www.mdwsweb.com/genealogylists
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