I just signed up for Advanced Power Searching with Google. I'm sharing about it here in case others are interested.
This is the second class offered in the series. I did Power Searching with Google in 2012. Much of it was stuff I learned in library school, but it was good to get my gears grinding again.
The Power Searching with Google class is free and available in a self-guided option now. It takes a couple of hours to complete, but it's broken up into parts so you don't have to do it all at the same time.
Each section involves a small video lecture. Sometimes there's a quiz where you have to do a Google search based on the tool or strategy they've covered in the lesson. There is no class, but there are optional discussions which you can join or not. I went solo through the whole thing.
Advanced Power Searching with Google starts January 23, so if you're *really* motivated, you can finish Power Searching now so you're ready for the advanced class.
Go on, give it a try. Google isn't going anywhere, so you might as well learn to use it to the fullest.
To make Google genealogy searches even more fruitful, you might try the AncestorSearch using Google Custom Search tool ( http://randymajors.com/p/ancestorsearch.html ). It formats your search terms (using some of the Google Power Searching approaches covered in the course) for you so you're more likely to find mentions of ancestors that would otherwise be buried in thousands of Google search results. Great for those challenging genealogy searches...lots of success stories, such as this one: http://randymajors.com/2011/07/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed-try.html
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from the Power Searching with Google - I hope this course is just as fruitful.
ReplyDeleteAmy - I followed your recommendation and started the Power search class today! As you mentioned, it is a quality class with many helpful tips in the first four sessions! Am signed up for the Advanced Power Searching class that I believe starts this week. Thanks for the tip about this free class! Also recommended your post on Heather Kuhn Roeker's blog Leaves for Trees where she suggested some great google search tips.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Shackford Parkes
www.shackfordgenealogy.weebly.com
Joanne Shackford Parkes
www.shackfordgenealogy.weebly.com