INCO 48 Home > Section 6 > Search Engines

Search Engines

Using Search Engines

You can locate useful or interesting web sites by using a search engine. This is an organization with a web site containing a huge database of web site addresses. You key in a subject or a name that describes what you are seeking, and the search engine provides you with a list or selection of web site addresses that fit your inquiry. You then simply click on an address to jump to that web site.

Although search engine is really a general class of programs, the term is often used to specifically describe systems like Alta Vista http://www.altavista.com/  and Google http://www.google.com that enable users to search for documents on the World Wide Web and USENET newsgroups.

Typically, a search engine works by sending out a spider to fetch as many documents as possible. Another program, called an indexer, then reads these documents and creates an index based on the words contained in each document. Each search engine uses a proprietary algorithm to create its indices such that, ideally, only meaningful results are returned for each query.

Preliminary Searching Hints

1. Choose a search engine, directory or library in accordance with the kind of search you are doing and the kind of results you are seeking.
2. Consider: Are you looking for a Web site?  Information that might be contained within Usenet?
3. Determine your aims: Do you want a specific hard-to-find document on an esoteric subject, or general information on a broader topic? Do you need to search the entire Web, or is what you are seeking likely to be found on a number of sites, or only the most popular sites?
4. In making your choice, determine whether the information you are looking for is likely to be in a page's title or first paragraph, or buried deeper within the document or site.
5. Use a search engine's advanced features, if available, and read the help files if you are unclear about its searching procedure.

Choosing Search Terms And Syntax

1. Enter synonyms, alternate spellings and alternate forms (e.g. dance, dancing, dances) for your search terms.
2. Enter all the singular or unique terms that are likely to be included in the document or site you are seeking.
3. Avoid using very common terms (e.g. Internet, people), which may lead to a massive amount of irrelevant search results.
4. Determine how your search engine uses capitals and plurals, and enter capitalized or plural forms of your search words if appropriate.
5. Use a phrase or proper name if possible to narrow your search and therefore retrieve more relevant results (unless you want a large number of results)
6. Use multiple operators (e.g. AND, NOT) if a search engine allows you to do so.
7. If you receive too many results, refine and improve your search. (After browsing the results, you may become aware of how to use NOT - e.g. Boston AND hockey AND NOT Bruins)
8. Pay attention to proper spacing and punctuation in your search syntax (i.e. no space when using + means +term not + term)

Which Search Engine Or Directory Do You Want?

Information need	Search strategy
I need a few good hits fast (e.g., organization's homepage, popular sites for a topic)	Google - largest index1 results ranked by general popularity with "blind spots."2  with cached copy when site unavailable. Yahoo!Search - redesigned search and index
I need an answer (find facts, look up words, calculate, convert)	MSN Search - find a fact/name, statistic/conversion, definition/spelling, or answer to a math problem/equation (from Encarta Answers). Ask Jeeves identifies names, weather & ready reference information. Yahoo - Shortcutsto local, news, reference, travel, calculator
I need to preview results quickly before I investigate them further.	ZapMeta and Clusty - choose preview of metasearch result pages.
I need to search broadly - what am I missing with one engine?	Thumbshots (IE5+) results show differences between two search engines JUX2 results from one engine can be compared to others
I need a better grasp of my topic using high-quality annotated academic sites.	Librarians' Index to the Internet - "thinking person's Yahoo"3 with weekly updates (rich California resources included) Infomine - university directory with flexible search options. Resource Discovery Network selected by subject specialists (British post-secondary focus)
I want to search on confusable (e.g. bush v. Bush) or ignored words (e.g. there v. There - a company) in a phrase (e.g., "Vitamin A" or "to be or not to be").	Google - use quotes around phrase, or +word  (Soople teaches these features)
I'm not sure how to spell (e.g. "Ku Klux Klan" or "Klu Klux Klan") or define something.	Use a dictionary for the correct spelling or definition.   Google  suggests alternative spellings (e.g., recieve/receive) to generate larger results, or use [define: <add your word>] for definition and context.
I need a template to focus my search.	"Advanced Search" templates prompt adding words and phrases, limiting by domain and language.  Teoma Advanced - search geographic region.  Google Advanced search file format and pages containing a numeric range (e.g., #…#)
I need to organize and refine my results.	Combine major engine results (metasearch) clustered by topics.  Select keywords to pinpoint your search further. Clusty - ranks results by relevance (like Google) and clusters hierarchically (Vivisimo). Select tabs for blogs, Wikipedia results. Surf Wax - preview page ("SiteSnap") and locate key words "Matched in Context." Add "Focus Words" to narrow your next search.
I need to visualize relationships among ideas.	Grokker (Yahoo search) KartOO (European engine) and Web Brain (small index) visually relate terms. Visual Thesaurus - connects related words and meanings.   Drill down human-created dmoz directory to see context.
I need a subject hub prepared by an expert.	Virtual LRC - searches high-quality directories (or limit by site). AllLearn directories and learning guides (pathfinders) by academic specialists (for online courses @Oxford, Stanford and Yale). Pinakes - a subject launchpad to academic gateways. WWW Virtual Library - oldest subject-organized catalog to full-text, databases and gateways, maintained by worldwide volunteers. Search BUBL LINK directory of academic sites (European focus); drill down Dewey numbers or browse by subject terms. Teoma - suggests expert hub-sites (to the right of the results).
I need balanced information from verified sources for a school research project to take home.	Some research is best accomplished with print books and periodicals.   Ask your local librarian.
I need biographical information.	Biography.com - search 25,000 popular figures Lives - links to A-Z Web biographies (dead people only), also sorted into eras, professions, regional categories, cultures, rudimentary search.
I need government information.	First Gov (US) DirectGov (UK) - search government, state and local, or drill down the directory.
I need the current buzz or breaking news.	Clusty Blog search ranked results, clustered hierarchically NewsNow UK news portal refreshes every 5 min. Technorati (weblogs) or Daypop (blogs + breaking news) Blogdex - lists fastest spreading ideas in weblogs Newsblaster - machine summary of day's major stories and images - automatically collects, categorizes, and summarizes news events, reflecting the media from a particular country. 10x10 - machine-compiled single image encapsulating a moment in time, composed hourly of 100 words and pictures that "matter most" on a global scale.
I need to compare front page treatment of news.	Press Display - replicas of 200 daily newspapers from 55 countries Newseum - replicates 403 daily front pages from 44 countries
I need more complete news coverage.	Yahoo News - categorized depth and breadth, audio/video/photos   + continuously updated with 7-14 day archive   + editor-selected "Full Coverage" news background Google News - 4500 machine-gathered and grouped sources (no editors) 30 day archive. World News Network - word news from 500 sources organized by region, topic, industry, breaking news, broadcasts.
I need to get a overview of the media in a region or industry.	Headline Spot - selected directory of established media by subject, industry or area (large cities, states, countries, regions).
I need news background to understand the latest headlines.	Behind the Headlines - selected, indexed and annotated resources, by 50+ subject specialists in British educational and research organizations. US News Briefing Book - basic facts, biographies of key players, and links to relevant online documents and sites compiled by magazine staff.
I need accurate, objective information on hot topics (current and controversial).	Social Issues - K-12 topic sources chosen by public library Homework Center. BIOTIN - social issues resources, Catholic perspective Hot Topics Supersites - controversial topics, public university librarian. Public Agenda Online - facts, background, perspectives and analysis of public attitudes on social issues by opinion research organization.
I want to get opinions on current issues.	Yahoo Opinion editorials  Opinions/Editorials links PollingReport - aggregates American public opinion surveys Blogstreet identifies "neighborhoods" of influence Google Usenet Advanced Search - searches newsgroups.
I need news from other countries' perspectives.	Newspaperindex.com - selective links to newspapers worldwide World Press Review - nonpartisan, contextualized reporting of international perspectives on issues All the Web News advanced - search 7 days coverage, 3000+, multilingual Search Engine Colossus - links to search engines and directories from 198 countries and 61 territories Abyz News Links - portal to international news media (newspapers, internet services, magazines, and press agencies).
I need local news.	Topix.net - machine-created local (zip code) news by topic.
I need encyclopedia information.	CIA World Factbook by country or search data. InfoNation - compare data for (up to 5) UN countries Wikipedia - volunteer-created encyclopedia (via Clusty Reference tab - results are categorized) categorize results)
I need statistical data depth.	Statistical Information help page
I need access to results from databases ("invisible Web") not easily searchable in general engines.	Turbo10 - searches user-selected deep Web resources Invisible Web - high-quality directory selected by experts Resource Discovery Network - keyword search Direct Search - links by expert Depth of Search: Choosing Invisible Web Databases - small list geared to K-12
I need primary sources.	Repositories of Primary Sources - by country, region Ready, 'Net, Go - index of archival indexes worldwide
I need a document format (pdf, ps, xls, ppt, rtf).	Google Advanced - searches formats (Acrobat, Postscript, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Rich Text) Search Adobe PDF Online - see summary before downloading.
I need multimedia (images, audio, video) content.	Creative Commons search audio, images, text, video, and other formats that are free to share online Singingfish - large index, configurable, searches saved Yahoo!Search video, images Lycos MultiMedia - search pictures, audio, video, mp3,  AltaVista- select format, size, etc - images, mp3/audio, video Google Image Search - indexes 1billion+, advanced narrows by size or type. Classroom Clipart - browse categories suitable for K-12. Fine arts: ADAM, FAMSF, SILS, Richman's list of picture/art sites. American Memory US historical maps, motion pictures, photos and prints, sound recordings. FindSounds - locates sound effects, musical instruments, animals
I heard part of a radio program and want to hear all of it.	PublicRadioFan - directory program/station name, location, category, time. HP Speechbot - searches audio of programs, results include audio link and transcript of words in context, sort by date
I need free or inexpensive software.	CNET - meta search engine, reviews of shareware.
I need a map.	National Geographic's MapMachine: world physical, political print Geography Network dynamic maps, downloadable data World of Maps search or browse World Atlas and World Maps - links to maps Maptech MapServer - search topographical, aerial/satellite, nautical maps - place icons on locations, see latitude and longitude American FactFinder Maps - U.S. Census 2000 thematic and dynamic data maps MapQuest - U.S. driving directions. Cornell Digital Earth world maps: choose data (geological, geographical, geophysical), create and download image Infomine Maps & GIS search
I need a quotation.	A9 - search Inside the Book (Amazon + Google) Bartleby's searchable database, Respectfully Quoted - U.S. political, The Quotations Page Quoteland Quotations Archive, Creative Quotations
I want to get advice from experts.	Ask A+ Locator - browse (subject, name) or search high-quality experts selected by Virtual Reference Desk SourceNet Experts - experts useful to journalists Sources and Experts - maintained by news researcher (FL focus) AllExperts - About.com volunteer-experts (expertise in self-profile)
I need a virtual librarian.	24/7 - live reference from public library system. Ask a Librarian - chat with or e-mail Library of Congress subject-specialist
I want notice of selected new sites.	Scout Report subscribe to weekly e-mail of new sites (general, or in science/technology categories) Librarians' Index to the Internet weekly e-mail or RSS feed
I need to periodically rerun a search.	GoogleAlert tracks 5 interests, e-mails results Create custom page - Yahoo's My Sources,  HotSheet, AmphetaDesk, RSS Headliner with your choice of aggregated news sources.
I need sites just for kids.	KidsClick! - click through librarian selected and organized subject tree, or search 600+ high-quality sites. Use Dewey classification to add sites to your library catalog. Yahooligans! - kid-safe results from directory, clustered by category Ithaki - metasearch engine (Dmoz Kids, Yahooligans, FactMonster, ArtKidsRule, AolKids, AppuKids, Discovery School)

Now follow the links for more information!

Web Browser >  Search Engines > Advanced Search Techniques > Evaluating Internet Sources