← VCE Data Analytics U3O2

Searching with keywords and search operators

A special symbol or word, such as quotation marks, a minus sign, site: or filetype:, that you add to your keywords to narrow a web search to the results you want.

Part of: VCE Data Analytics - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 32, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Using digital tools and conventions — Module 4

Understanding Searching with keywords and search operators in VCE Data Analytics U3O2

What it does: The site: operator limits results to one website or domain ending, such as edu.au for Australian education sites. Quotation marks tell the search engine to look for the words together in that exact order. Without them, results can include the words anywhere on the page. filetype:pdf only shows results that are PDF files. site: is for websites, so it would not work for this. The minus sign must touch the word you want to exclude. If there is a space after it, the search engine may ignore the operator. Operators like site: need the value straight after the colon with no gap, like recycling site:edu.au.

Common mistakes: There must be no space between the minus sign and the word you want to exclude. It should be jaguar -car. An exact phrase needs quotation marks at both the start and the end. It should be "shake it off".

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 32–75) and word search (Modules 3–146).

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Learning
Duo
You want results with the exact phrase Great Barrier Reef. Which search is better?
Great Barrier Reef (no quotation marks)"Great Barrier Reef"
Matches
jaguar - car
↓
There is a space after the minus sign, so it does not exclude the word. It should be -car with no space.
Applying
Meanings
Term
search operator
Meaning
A special symbol or word, such as quotation marks, a minus sign, site: or filetype:, that you add to your keywords to narrow a web search to the results you want.
Practice
"coral reef" facts -tour site:edu.au
Testing
Gaps
climate change edu.au
Check Answer
Spots
1jaguar - car
2Goal: animal facts, not cars

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Quick Questions

1. You want results with the exact phrase Great Barrier Reef. Which search is better?
A. "Great Barrier Reef" ✓
B. Great Barrier Reef (no quotation marks)
Quotation marks tell the search engine to look for the words together in that exact order. Without them, results can include the words anywhere on the page.
2. You search for jaguar speed but keep getting car websites. How do you remove the word car from the results?
A. jaguar speed +car
B. jaguar speed -car ✓
A minus sign straight before a word tells the search engine to leave out pages with that word. There is no space between the - and the word.
3. You only want results from Australian education websites. Which operator should you add?
A. site:edu.au ✓
B. filetype:edu.au
site: limits results to one website or type of website, such as edu.au. filetype: is used for kinds of files, not websites.
4. You want a PDF worksheet about fractions. Which search will help you find PDF files?
A. fractions worksheet filetype:pdf ✓
B. fractions worksheet site:pdf
filetype:pdf only shows results that are PDF files. site: is for websites, so it would not work for this.
5. Which search correctly uses a minus sign to exclude the word apple?
A. fruit recipes - apple
B. fruit recipes -apple ✓
The minus sign must touch the word you want to exclude. If there is a space after it, the search engine may ignore the operator.

Match the Pairs

"climate change causes" → Searches for that exact phrase, with the words together in the same order
jaguar -car → Searches for jaguar but leaves out any results that contain the word car
Only show results from Australian education websites → bushfires site:edu.au
Only show results that are PDF files → healthy eating filetype:pdf
jaguar - car → There is a space after the minus sign, so it does not exclude the word. It should be -car with no space.
recycling site: edu.au → There is a space after site:, so the operator will not work. It should be site:edu.au with no space.

Key Term

search operator
A special symbol or word, such as quotation marks, a minus sign, site: or filetype:, that you add to your keywords to narrow a web search to the results you want.

Fill in the Blanks

1. climate change site:edu.au
Hint: Type the operator that limits results to one website or domain.
2. renewable energy filetype:pdf
Hint: Type the file extension for a portable document format.
3. jaguar speed -car
Hint: Type the symbol that tells the search to leave out the next word.
4. "great barrier reef" filetype:pdf
Hint: The exact phrase is already in quotation marks. Type the operator that asks for a certain kind of file.
5. bushfire safety site:edu.au
Hint: Type the domain ending used by Australian education websites.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A jaguar - car
B Goal: animal facts, not cars
C Minus removes the word car
Line A — There must be no space between the minus sign and the word you want to exclude. It should be jaguar -car.
Question 2
A Goal: match exact words
B "shake it off
C Quotes keep words together
Line B — An exact phrase needs quotation marks at both the start and the end. It should be "shake it off".
Question 3
A Goal: Australian school sites
B volcano site edu.au
C Only edu.au sites are shown
Line B — The site operator needs a colon straight after the word site. It should be volcano site:edu.au.
Question 4
A Goal: a printable fact sheet
B Add the filetype operator
C bushfire safety file:pdf
Line C — The operator is called filetype, not file. It should be bushfire safety filetype:pdf.
Question 5
A Goal: recipes without nuts
B cake recipe +nuts
C The minus removes nuts
Line B — A plus sign does not exclude a word. Use a minus sign to remove it, so it should be cake recipe -nuts.

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