Tips for Google searches and other Web-related Stuff

Searches

• Phrase searching: "westward expansion" with quotes, though Google gives preference to phrases even without the quotes
• Related synonyms, add a tilde: ~ecology, which is especially good when researching rare topics
• Number ranges: westward expansion 1800..1850
• Wild cards, for when you can't remember part of a phrase: "here's * at you, kid"
• Basic definitions: define:ecology
• Education hosts: intitle: holocaust site:.edu - finds "holocaust" sites hosted by education institutions
• Advanced Search: Allows you to specify several parameters for the page, such as words, language, format, recent updates, etc

Checking out a site:

Look for the date updated and author
Check the source's online reputation by seeing if reputable groups link to the site: link:url

Citations for Websites

Landmarks Citation Machine

Easybib.com