How to Search Google to Find What You're Looking For - Made Easy

If you spend any time on the internet you probably search Google frequently. Sometimes it's easier to find what you're looking for than other times.

This Hub is going to cover some of the advanced search techniques that may allow you to more easily find the detailed information you are looking for.

Most of us, when we're searching, start out very general. I was having trouble figuring out how to scan some non-35mm negatives on my Canon Scanner, so I went to Google and started with a general phrase like:

how to scan negatives

This may bring up far too many results, the search results may be too general or they may include websites and directories that are not applicable to the results you want. For example, the link to buying a scanner.

There was a how-to article on scanning negatives, but it didn't cover any of the details that were important to me, like being able to handle non-standard negatives.

The next step in searching would be to add more details to your search phrase:

how to scan negatives canoscan

Well, I'm getting closer, I did get a link to the Canon website for technical support, but even that site didn't have the detailed How-To information on scanning non-35mm negatives, but instead just had the basics. Also, I am still getting the Amazon search result to BUY a Canon Scanner.

So, if using a longer phrase still doesn't get you the results you want, you can use some of the advanced search features available.

The first of the advanced search features is to use "Search Engine Math."

Search Engine Math is using quotes around phrases " " and the + plus or - minus signs to make a more refined search phrase

"how to scan" odd size negatives canoscan -8400f

I want the phrase match of "how to scan." I want information for a Canoscan but not the 8400f scanner.