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Lesson 5 Limiting a search
Objective List other restrictions you can put on search results.

Search Result Restrictions

The techniques described in the previous lessons have all involved ways to limit a search through the search query. Many directories and search engines also offer selection options (usually on the Advanced or Power search page) that limit the parts of their database that will be searched for matches. Combining any of these options with search query terms that also limit the search is a powerful method of focusing a search that is looking for information that is restricted by its nature to a certain portion of the Web or the Internet (.edu or .mil Web sites, for example, or a specific country).
  • Filter your Search Results
    1. Do a search on Google.
    2. Choose the type of result you want to see, like Images or News, by selecting a type under the search box. Click More to see extra choices.
    3. Below the search box, click Search tools to see more filters you can apply to your search. The Search tools you see will be different based on your search and the filters you've already used, so you won't see all the options every time.
    4. To remove any filters you've added through Search tools, click Clear.

    The following series of images illustrates some other ways that search engines let you limit your searches:

1) Hotbot lets you limit your result to pages
1) Hotbot lets you limit your result to pages
2) Hotbot lets you select the location of the pages
The image is a screenshot of an older web browser, "Netscape", displaying the "HotBot: SuperSearch" search engine interface. The section visible in the screenshot focuses on "location-based search filtering".
Dropdown Menu for "Location/Domain"
  • This section allows users to limit search results based on geographical regions.
  • The dropdown menu options include:
    • Anywhere (default selection)
    • North America (.com)
    • North America (.edu)
    • North America (.gov)
    • North America (.mil)
    • North America (all)
    • Europe
    • South Asia
    • Southeast Asia
    • Middle East
    • Oceania
    • Africa
    • South America

Explanation of the Feature Below the Dropdown
  • The description below explains that users can search pages by continent or by specifying a country code (e.g., `.fr` for France, `.lv` for Latvia, `.mg` for Madagascar).
  • If the user does not know the correct country code, HotBot provides a list.
  • This feature helps narrow down searches to specific geographic locations.


User Interface Elements in the Browser
  • The browser window has:
    • A title bar showing "HotBot: SuperSearch - Netscape"
    • Toolbar icons for "File," "Edit," "View," "Communicator," and "Help"
    • A search bar with an example URL
    • A "What's Related" button, likely for contextual searches
    • Bookmark options

This image reflects early search engine features that allowed users to filter results geographically before modern search engines integrated automatic location-based results. 2) Hotbot lets you select the location of the pages
3)Google lets you limit your search to results of a previous search
3) Google lets you limit your search to results of a previous search

4)Excite lets you limit your results to a specified language
4) Google lets you limit your search to results of a previous search

5) Lycos lets you limit your search to pages and Web sites that link to a paticular Web site.
5) Lycos lets you limit your search to pages and Web sites that link to a paticular Web site.

How to Limit Your Search

Limiting Data Searched - Exercise

Click the exercise link below to perform a search using advanced searching limitations.
Limiting Data Searched - Exercise

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