[Libs-Or] Summary of responses to request for help with Google weirdness

Hope Leman hleman at samhealth.org
Thu Nov 3 19:43:22 PDT 2011


Hi, all. Here (finally--sorry for the delay) is the summary of responses on the weirdness in Google with the disappearance of the advanced features search link on the Google homepage. (But some people said they can still see it.)

I just want to thank everybody for all the help. I asked two lists for help—the Oregon Library Association discussion list and MEDLIB, the discussion list of the Medical Library Association. Did I get help quickly—the responses were fast and furious. Whoa—did they flood in and where they helpful or what?

When I went to work at the office (as opposed to encountering the problem at home on three different computers in Firefox) my work setup (IE7) had the same advanced features link just as it always has. At least one of the other respondents to my query reported that, “At my desk the FF page lacks the link, but the IE page has it, to the right of the search box.” So it seems to be a browser thing, mainly. But don’t quote me!

Here are the comments I got—just a note that many of resemble one another in referring me to the gear box in Google; giving the link to the advanced page itself; and saying do a search and then look for the advanced features link at the bottom of the results. But I included them all so as to establish that those were the most common responses.

I located Advanced Search using the "About Google" link at the bottom of the Google search page.  Under "Our Products", click "Web Search Features".  The Advanced Search link is at in the left panel of the Search Features screen -- well hidden!

You'll also find that they've just recently eliminated their + feature
that allowed you to prioritize words in your search... someone gave them the idea that people don't actually know what they're searching for.

Also, if you haven't heard, Google doesn't let you use the + sign anymore to require words. That was a handy feature. Putting single words in quotes seems to still work.

It's a silly place for them to put it, but you can access the advanced
search page by clicking on the little gear icon in the top-right of the
page. In Google Scholar, Scholar Preferences has moved there as well, which  had me stymied for a few minutes in the first instruction session I taught since the change.

Sounds crazy, but I did the logical thing. I searched for Google Advanced Search and got this link

http://www.google.im/advanced_search?hl=en

I hope that helps :)

Up in the right hand corner there is a little spoked wheel. When you hover
over it, a cloud should appear that says, "Options," and when you click it,
"Advanced Search" is one of the options.

If you do a search, you will also see limiters appear on the left side of
the results.

If my display is the same as yours, it looks like they've moved the link for advanced search to the bottom of the page under the page numbers for the results.

Also, if you haven't heard, Google doesn't let you use the + sign anymore to require words. That was a handy feature. Putting single words in quotes seems to still work.

Also, at the bottom of the results screen after you do a search, there is an advanced search option.

In the top right corner there is a little circle and if you put your cursor over it it will say options, click on it and then advanced search.

It used to be on the front page! But, if you do a search on something, anything, and then scroll to the bottom of the results page you will see "Advanced Search" under the page number bar.

Check under the gear at the upper right!

After you perform your search, at the very bottom under the search results there is a link to the advanced search. I am also very frustrated with this new arrangement. Good luck!

What browser were you using?  I show the Advanced search link to the right of the search box (above language tools). I'm looking at it in IE 7 right now (that's what we have at work), but at home I have the latest Firefox and I can check there.  But in the meantime, to help you with your issue now, the link to the advanced search page is:

http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

Hope that helps!

Run a search, any search......  Then look at the bottom of the results page for a link to "advanced search".

Try clicking GOOGLE MORE on the top header. The drop down gives some options. At the bottom is an EVEN MORE option. Click on that. It should be in there.

I recommend using Scholar instead. There is an advanced search option on the main Scholar page.

I found it by googling ‘google advanced search’
You might want to bookmark or favorite or whatever the address:
http://www.google.im/advanced_search?hl=en

…my guess is that Google wants to keep it as simple-looking as possible. I was also going to suggest that you can refine your search (in the left-hand frame) once you've already done your basic search. Those options allow you to narrow it down in different ways.

In my opinion…Google is making it easier for basic users to perform searches, and harder for sophisticated users. And what happens is that the results are not quite as good as they were, say, a couple of years ago. I'm keeping my eye on you, Google!

We discovered this "improvement" right before an instruction session a
couple of weeks ago (rendering our handouts & online tutorials obsolete,
of course!). There are two ways to access Advanced Search:

1. Click on the little settings option in the upper right corner of the
Google screen (it looks like a little wheel). You'll see Advanced Search
in the drop-down menu.

2. Or, conduct a keyword search. On the results screen, you will see an
option to do an Advanced Search.

I hope this helps!

Yikes. I just checked it out, and I'm getting the same bare-bones search page as well. I haven't heard anything about this, so I'm hoping they are just tweaking it.

Direct link - http://www.google.com/advanced_search

Or use the homepage - enter any term.  It will pull up the search
results, and at the bottom of the page is the link for advanced search.

On the far upper right of Google's homepage is a "gear" type symbol that is actually a drop-down menu; there you will find Advanced Search.

I had the exact same problem =It turned out to be some sort of security feature in my hospital IT settings.

My IT guy had to go in, get it for me and put a link on my task bar.

(goofy- but it works.)

Under the icon that looks like a spoke in the upper right corner Google has put the Advanced Search. I hope this helps.

Top right hand corner - it's the little wheel.  They moved Advanced Search and Search Settings under there.

http://www.google.ca/advanced_search

I googled "google advanced search".

They may have removed the feature to "encourage" people to move to Google Chrome.

…click on the gear icon in the upper right corner.

http://www.google.com/advanced_search

You can get to it by clicking the little gear (options) on the far right side of the black bar that appears at the top of the Google page.

Freaked me out too.....do a search - then scroll to the bottom of the results - you will see it there.

I just loaded Google and I see the link for the advanced search right
where it always is--to the right of the search box. It opened when I
clicked on the link.

In order to find the "Advanced Search Tools", I had to first type in my search and then go down to the bottom of the first results page, where there was a link.

I searched for google advanced search:
http://www.google.ca/advanced_search

I don't see it anywhere either and it looks slightly different than I remember.

Try http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

Look under the Gear in the right corner

http://www.google.ca/advanced_search

Does this work for you?

Check under the gear at the upper right

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