When there’s something you want to know in this age of information-on-demand, it can be frustrating when you can’t find it. Here are some tips and tricks to help find the information you want in a timely manner.
- Play with search terms. Many people make the mistake of only trying one or two combinations of search terms. Think about which words or phrases are unique to the information you’re seeking and try to use those words in your searches. Any other terms that would narrow down the results, such as the name of a city, are helpful.
- Use a web archive site. If you want information that was once on the web and now appears to be inaccessible, use sites such as the Way Back Machine to search an Internet archive. The collection is not comprehensive, but every now and then, you’ll turn up the precise information you need.
- Try using the country specific Google site. If you’re seeking information that comes from another country, you may have decent luck if you input your search terms into the Google engine for that country. Don’t know the web address for a country’s Google site? Simple go to Google and search the word “Google” and the name of the country. Even if you don’t speak the language, you still may be able to wade through the results.
- Look at cached pages. Google keeps many websites in cache form, meaning you may be able to view some, but not all, of the content on a page that now appears to be inaccessible. Cached sites may not display photos or video, but text is usually available.
