Google has been around for a long time and is the most frequently used search engine in the world. It has become the go-to search engine for most people because it offers reliable and relevant information to everyday problems.
Over the years, with new algorithm updates and some improvements in this search engine, it has become more powerful and useful with each development. Some don’t know about the upgrades that have been made and as a result, they can’t use Google to its full potential.
What are the latest tips and tricks all students should know? Here are six Google tips and tricks every student should know.
Use Google tabs
Google tabs sometimes go unnoticed and may not be used to their full potential. On the top of the search engine results page (SERP), there are different tabs that filter the type of information you need.
You can choose from websites, news, images, videos, and other results. When used correctly, they can cut down the time you spend searching the web. For example, if you need honey badger pictures, instead of searching through each website, you can tap on the images tab and all relevant pictures will appear.
Also, you can locate news articles easier for any school work you need to do. My friend used to tell me ‘I need someone to write my research paper because I cannot write unique assignments’. But you can also use simple online plagiarism checker to ensure that your work is original. You can also use it if you’re a teacher to check student work for plagiarism.
Use a hyphen to exclude words
Most probably, you have faced the situation of the SERP returning irrelevant information. Google has worked fixing that by using hyphens to exclude certain words from your search.
For example, when searching the word Mustang, it has two meanings, the car, and the horse. If you are looking for the horse, you can use the hyphen to omit search results including car or Ford. Your search would use the following syntax:
Mustang –ford / Mustang –car
Using this will eliminate all irrelevant information that could have been included in the search results. Because of this, students won’t be easily distracted which will increase productivity and students can fuse that with these student motivation tips to succeed.
Search for similar sites
When researching topic ideas or looking for reference links, you might like to have more options. Google has made it easy to find the results of similar sites. If you have found one site that has valuable information, it can be used to find more results. To search for similar sites, use this syntax:
related:site name
If you would like to get a site similar to Forbes, then you’d type “related:forbes.com.” When you are using this method for academic purposes, beware not to fall for plagiarism. Rather use a free plagiarism checker for student.
Using Google for mathematics
Google can do mathematics for you when you type in basic calculations. Knowing which signs are used for multiplication, division, adding and subtraction is important. The asterisk (*) is used as a multiplication symbol, and for division, the forward-slash works (/).
Subtraction uses the hyphen (-) and addition works with the plus symbol (+). Writing a prompt like this on the search bar: 9 + 5 * 6 will result to 84. You can also easily calculate the percentage of each number by using this % symbol. For example, when calculating 2 percent of 6, you will use this syntax:
2 % of 6
Locate a specific file
When students need to write essays, dissertations, or thesis, they might need some sources to reference their work. If they have previously viewed or used a specific PDF or PowerPoint file, they can locate it by using this search syntax:
Write search term filetype:pdf
In this way, students can find the specific file they are looking for and the exact file type. When students ask someone ‘Will you write essays for money?’ and get their works done, they need to ensure that it is not plagiarized. They can use a student plagiarism checker to make sure that their work is above board.
Money and unit conversions
There are many instances where someone would like to know how long a mile is in kilometers or how much a British pound trades against the U.S dollar. Google has made it simple to convert units of measurement and currency values. To convert miles to kilometers, you can just type “30 miles to kilometers” in the search bar.
The search results will return the converted measurements without redirecting you to another site or online calculator. The same applies to currencies, to convert them, just type “1 GBP to USD” and you will get the results you are looking for.
The bottom line
Students have to be technologically savvy to excel in their academics. Because of that, they need to know these tips and tricks because they’ll come in handy when students need to complete assignments and other school work.
These Google tips and tricks make life easier for students, especially by saving time and simplifying SERP related problems. Acquainting yourself with new Google upgrades will help you stay efficient and highly productive.
