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Selected Search Tools for the WWW: A Guide

Yahoo

A search at the initial Yahoo page returns Yahoo Web sites and Web pages containing some form of all the words you type. Capitalizing words has no effect in Yahoo.

You can require that a word be included in your Yahoo search result by typing a plus sign [+] in front of the word.

Example:
+lawrence university

On the other hand, you can use the minus sign [-] to exclude a term.

Example:
python -monty

You can use the + or - with more than one word in a search. Don't put a space between the + or - and the word or words they should affect.

By putting double quotation marks ["] around a phrase, you will find results that contain that exact phrase, not just any of the words in any order. For example, searching "child psychology" locates results with those words next to each other in that order only.

By typing an asterisk [*] at the end of a word, you will find results that contain any word that starts with the letters you type up to the asterisk. For example,

psycholog*

Advanced Search allows you to select whether you will find Matches on all words (AND), Matches on any word (OR), or An exact phrase match. From the Advanced Search Options page you can also restrict your search to listings added within specific time periods, or you can change the display format.

You can also restrict searches to document titles or URLs. See the page on Advanced Search Syntax for help on these and other features of Yahoo searches. Within Yahoo's subject categories, you can choose to search only the sites listed under that subject.

Under the heading Yahoo! Information Center you will find links to details about Yahoo!, including Yahoo! Help Central. There, you'll find further useful links, including introductions to Directory Help and Yahoo! Search Help, both with frequently asked questions.

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Created: 16 September 2000
Updated: 9 August 2002

Gretchen Revie, Reference Librarian, Seeley G. Mudd Library
Lawrence University, PO Box 599, Appleton, WI 54912 (920) 832-7000