Researching on the internet. The right and wrong way. Do you know how?

Question

While I'm not ancient, I will say that at 54 years of age I am very challenged when it comes to computers and the use of them. When I graduated from college in 1975, the closest thing to a computer that I had was a non-electric, SmythCorona typewriter. My question, to anyone out there willing to lend me some of their time is; in a nutshell, what is the best way to researchon the internet? If I go to GOOGLE, what format or choice of words, might provide the most information on the topic I am seeking information on? Example: In trying to find out as much information about a high school that closed in 1971, would I be well served to first list the name of the school and then use specific key words, separated by comma's or other forms of punctuation? /, :, ;, -, etc, etc. I am attempting to research the aforementioned school, Western Military Academy which closed in 1971 but graduated such people as General Paul Tibbetts, Butch "O'hare", as in O'hare Int Airport and a host of others

Answer 1

use quotes in you search for exact terms like "Western Military Academy " you will get better results. Use - to leave out something in your search like -ocean. No need to use ,.

http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/1998/ihy981215.html

Answer 2

Example

Google (no punctuation)
Western Military Academy O'Hare

returns
http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/1998/ihy981215.html
along with many other results

Replacing "O'Hare" with Paul Tibbetts
gets many more, plus (naturally) a bunch of Enola Gay references

Internet search is a logic driven process - eliminate superfluous words like "the", "and" etc and Google the terms that are relevant. Unless you are wanting absolute specifics, refrain from using quotation marks or punctuation of any kind.

Answer 3

A Google tool bar works wonders. I just typed in Western Military Academy and brought up this: (Only part of info)

Western graduated its last class in 1971 and went out of business. The campus was mostly idle for a decade. Neglect and vandalism took their toll. In 1974 the Mississippi Valley Christian Academy, a tax exempt school, bought the remains of the Western plant. They now operate a K-8 coed day school.
Western Military Academy
Alumni Newsletter
Editor, Robert Keith '36 [e-mail]
7880 54th Av #65
St. Petersburg FL 33709

For more info, check out the site below. Just click on link.

Answer 4

For adults, I think internet relationships can definitely work out. Teenagers are way different. Yes there are way too many predators out there. You don't really know who you are talking to. If you've never met, you're not in love, you may just be in a lot of like with eachother (if he is real). There is a chance he is a nice person...but if you ever decide you are meeting, make sure that someone is with you (preferably an adult--maybe a friend's older brother or sister that can keep an eye out for you in a public place). Teens and the internet scares me to death. I'm 30 something and do the internet dating, but I am still very skeptical when meeting someone the first time and always make sure it's in public and that someone knows where I am and who I am with. Be very very careful. I know you believe it's truly love (when you are young, it feels like it is), just don't jump into anything quickly with this person.

Answer 5

We recommend beginning with different types of search tools, depending on what you know about your topic and what you want to know. Do you want broad information? Are you looking for something very specific or perhaps a unique term or phrase? Are you looking for a narrow aspect of a topic with a huge Web presence? When you search, are you overwhelmed by too many or off-target results? Are there a lot of synomyms of equivalent terms for what you seek? Each of these questions can give you a clue where to begin.

Answer 6

When you Google for: Western Military Academy

It searches for ANY of the words.

When you Google for: Western+Military+Academy OR "Western Military Academy"

It searches for ALL of the words.

For more tips & tricks, start here:

Answer 7

One of the best factor in google is to search for exact words like putting quotation marks like searching "Western Military Academy"

the end result is
http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=%22Western+Military+Academy%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

You can also add something like +,-
example you want to search Military but no Academy, you might use
Western -Academy

Answer 8

try follow the tips at

http://www.google.com/help/basics.html