1. IFwe know the question, THENwe know what the answer should look like. IFwe know what the answer should look like, THENwe also know when to stop searching. Question checklist Reuser, OSINT - Search and Retrieval

2. AND OR NOT phrase combinations title domain doctype link synonyms proximity India [space] Pakistan USA OR Verenigde Staten -.com -inurl:(html|php|xls) “border conflict” (uk OR gb) cricket[yahoo only] intitle:GL11 site:.com filetype:pdf link:www.greynet.org [yahoo is better] ~tsunami ”chemical * agents”-------------------------------------------- Google / Yahoo operators Reuser, OSINT - Search and Retrieval

3. Define the question, know precisely what the question is Ask an expert Use the telephone Start with the Internet for general orientation, then use online vendors for the real work: Start with Internet directories and fact finders, encyclopedias Continue with vertical search engines Continue with general purpose single search engines Continue with metasearchers Use AT LEAST three different main search engines! Consider using Usenet newsgroups for advise Consider Blogs for specialised info. Consider citation indexes Tips / Summary Reuser, OSINT - Search and Retrieval

4. Consider patent searches Consider conference proceedings and news Think in concepts (e.g. news on border conflict between india and pakistan) Search for searchable terms, detailed keywords, alternative terms. Consider spellings, plurals, singles, languages etc. Use AND to search for fewer results (+terrorism +india ) Use OR to search for alternatives (gb OR uk OR England) Search on title words Understand the source Tips / Summary (continued) Reuser, OSINT - Search and Retrieval

5. Errors and Mistakens if it’s not on the net, it doesn’t exist I’m the best, therefore I need not ask Forgetting citation pearls, forgetting semantics If I can’t find it, it doesn’t exist Google is all I need Using just one search engine Searching English only Reuser, OSINT - Search and Retrieval