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HCOL 186A: Biology of Symbiosis - Wittman (Spring 2021)

Web Searching: Overview

Even with all the excellent library resources we have available, searching for information online is useful -- especially for getting started, learning about your topic area, developing keywords, and understanding public and varying opinions or viewpoints. That said, information from the internet always needs to be used with a very critical eye. See below for some tips on evaluating websites and using some advanced Google features.

What is the Deep Web?

Web Domains

Web Domains Graphic

TIP: Limit Domains in Google

  • In a basic Google search, add "site:" to the end of your search string
  • Example: pluto planet site:.gov
  • Example: extrasolar planets site:.edu

OR:

  • Go to Google
  • In the lower right, click on Settings and then Advanced Search
  • Enter search terms
  • Specify site types under Site or Domain (like edu, .org, or .gov)

Webpage Domain Suffixes

A webpage's URL can provide some details for evaluation. The domain suffix, or the ending of a URL (like .com), is a great first clue to figuring out where information is coming from and what slant that source might have.