To get more specific search results, try using the following tips:

Check spelling   Use multiple words Example:Calendar events the 519 Use similar words Example: safe secure privacy security Use quotation marks Example: "our pledge to you"

Use wildcards Examples:  wh*  "wh* are"  415-*-* Use plus (+) or minus (-) Example: +"template language"

Check spelling

Make sure your search terms are spelled correctly. If Sound-Alike Matching is turned on, the search engine will attempt to find words that sound similar to your search terms, but it's always best to try to spell the search terms correctly.

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Use multiple words

Using multiple words will return more refined results than a single word. For example, typing calendar events the 519 will return more relevant results than typing just calendar. (Keep in mind that relevant results are returned even if they don't contain all query terms.)

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Use similar words

The more similar words you use in a search, the more relevant your results will be.

Example: support groups queer

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Use quotation marks

Use quotation marks to find words which must appear adjacent to each other, for example, "AIDS memorial" Otherwise, the search results will include the word AIDS and the word memorial, but not necessarily in that order. The words may appear anywhere, and in any order, within the document.

Note: if you are using the Advanced Search Form with radio buttons for "any," "all," and "phrase," then quotes can only be used when the "any" radio button is selected. Quotes are ignored if the "all" or "phrase" radio buttons are selected.

Example: "AIDS memorial"

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Use plus (+) or minus (-)

Use a plus sign when your search term or phrase must appear in the search results. Use a minus sign to indicate undesirable term(s). The plus sign tells the search engine that a certain word or phrase is required in the search results, and a minus sign indicates that a word or phrase must be absent in the search results.

Note: A phrase must be contained within quotation marks. Leave no spaces between the plus or minus sign and the term.

Note: if you are using the Advanced Search Form with radio buttons for "any," "all," and "phrase," then plus and minus can only be used when the "any" radio button is selected. Plus and minus are ignored if the "all" or "phrase" radio buttons are selected.

Example: +"template language"

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Use wildcards

Wildcard searches can expand the number of matches for a particular request. The * character is used as the wildcard character.

For instance, searching for wh* will find the words what, why, when, whether, and any other word that starts with wh.
Searching for *her* will find the words here, whether, together, gathering, and any other word that contains her anywhere in the word.

Wildcards may be combined with the standard plus (+) and minus (-) modifiers, quotes for phrases, as well as the field search specifiers.
+wh* -se*ch will find all pages which have a word that starts with wh and which does not contain a word that starts with se and ends with ch.
"wh* are" will find the phrases where are, what are, why are, etc.

Example: Examples:
 wh*
 "wh* are"
 415-*-*

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