Google Search Tricks:

Owned by Shawn Liner
Last updated: Feb 04, 2021
  • Set a time:
    • Example: search "set a timer for 10 minutes"
    • This will start a timer for ten minutes. and automatically start counting down. 
  • Restrict results to a certain publish date:
    • Great for getting new versions. This is especially useful for Microsoft products as they have been around for a long time but are changing all the time
    • Search for you term:
    • Select "tools" 
    • Then choose your range, like "past month"
  • Find results on specific site:
    • Great for finding something on a page that doesn't have a good search feature
    • Example: calendar site:parkviewbaptist.com 
  • Exclude words:
    • use the minus sign to remove search results:
    • Example: games -minecraft
    • This will search for games but not return results related to minecraft
  • Search for a phrase
    • use quotes
    • Example: "Education with an eternal foundation"
    • This will find that exact phrase in that exact order of words. Without the quotes it will find any of those words
  • Find high res images:
    • After searching for a term, click on images to get image results
      • Then click on "tools" and drop down "size". 
      • Choose "large" 
      • This will filter your images to large pictures that will print well.
    • After you find a picture you like 
      • click on it
      • The picture will open on the right
      • hover over the picture
      • look at the bottom left and you can see the actual pixel count of the image. 
      • Example :2048x2048 
        This picture is 2048 pixels wide and 2048 pixels tall. 
        It is square
        If you multiply those numbers and divide by 1000000 you can get the "size" in megapixes of the image. In this example 2048x2048/1000=4.194304MP.
        For reference an iphone x takes 12MP pictures. 
        If you are printing:
        A good rule of thumb is 300pixels per inch of your print.  So, if you want to print 8.5x11, then you would want 2550x3300 image size for a "good" print. 
  • Get Pictures that are "LEGAL"
    • Google:
      • Search for a term, click images
      • Click tools, "usage rights" 
      • select "creative commons licenses"
      • The resulting images are licensed for use. They usually have restrictions on them, but use in a non-profit teaching document is almost guaranteed and long as you cite the source.  
    • commons.wikimedia.org
      • This is a great repository of images that are in the "creative commons" domain. 
      • After clicking on the image, click on "more details" on the bottom left. 
      • Scroll down to "Licensing". There you will find the restrictions for use of this picture. 
      • Use of "legal" pictures is especially important if you are selling your images or even distributing them for free to other teachers.Â