Google search being too "helpful"

[djr33]

I'm becoming frustrated with Google search for trying to correct things for me. In my research I'm often looking for things that are odd and not typos. For example, I'm currently looking for information about the author "Lewy" and Google is returning results for "Louie". In some cases that might be helpful. At the moment it's just annoying me.

Is there a way to turn that sort of thing off? I've noticed other small things like that recently too.

[traq]

not as far as I know. There's a link similar to
Search results for "Louie"
Search for "Lewy" instead
You might look to see what param is added to the QS to force the literal (as-you-entered) search.

[djr33]

That may work. But I think it's lower level than that. It's like plurals-- searching for "program" will also bring up results for "programs".

[traq]

quote it.

"Lewy"

[djr33]

Ah, that does work. I compared sock (which brings up many matches for "socks") to sock, which only brings up singular uses.

[traq]

it's the simple solutions, yeah?

[bernie1227]

The issue with google, is that it tries to be too smart sometimes, for example, it personalises results for you depending on what you've gone on before.

Really though, we should sticky that infographic, it really is very helpful for these questions, the infographic says:
" ": searches for an exact phrase, not each word seperately.

http://mashable.com/2011/11/24/google-search-infographic/

[Nicole786]

Ya gjr33 you are right any time i have search other word but Google is return to other words.