Introduction to Search Tools

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The Internet is frequently described as "limitless." A 2003 survey found more than 35 Million sites on the world Wide Web, containing billions of pages. and experts estimate that the amount of content of the Internet doubles every one to two years.

Is bigger better? Certainly, there is more information to find online, more to read, and more to learn. But how will you find the specific answers you're looking for amidst all that information?

Internet research often starts with a search engine. A search engine (also called a spider or robot) is a program that indexes information on the World Wide Web. When you enter keywords into a search engine, you are essentially searching the text of all the Web pages it indexes.

Other types of search tools are available to help you find the information you need:

Meta-search engines allow you to search using more than one search engine at a time. When you enter your search keywords, a meta-search engine will retrieve results from several search engines.
Specialized search engines search a narrow selection of Web sites related to a specific topic. Such search engines are available for countless topics, from gardening to physics to literature.
Another type of search tool called a directory offers you categories or subjects to browse. As you select subjects, the directory gives you related sites. Directories can by particularly helpful if you're searching a broad subject area, rather than a specific topic.
Many sites feature a combination directory and search engine, allowing you to search in either format within one page or site.

When you turn on your computer and open your browser, what Web site appears? Yahoo? Google? This is true for most people, and indeed these are powerful Internet search tools. However, they have limitations.

Google -- the largest search engine -- indexes only about 16 percent of Internet pages. part of the reason is that search engines cannot index most of the Internet -- more than 60 percent. This 60 percent is called the deep or invisible Web, mostly made up of information located in Web site databases.

By searching skillfully in different search tools, you can access the information you need, whether major search engines index it or not.

The first step in any Internet research is to thing about your topic. Before you go straight to a major search engine, consider whether you might have better luck in a specialized search engine that targets your subject area. For example, you could easily find general information about the U.S. government through a major search engine, but if you're looking for a particular veteran's assistance form, a government search engine would be your best starting point.

If you start searching in a search engine or directory for a general topic, you'll get very broad results. To find exactly what you want, you must define your topic and identify key terms related to it. What directory subjects might it fall under? What keywords should you use in your search? Consider these examples:

If you're researching Nobel Prize winners James Watson and Francis Crick, you might start in a major site's directory with science and continue to biology, genetics, and history. In a keyword search, you might use Watson, Crick, double helix, DNA, and Nobel Prize.
To plan a low-cost trip to San Antonio, Texas, you might go to a specialized search engine for travel and start in the directory portion of the site with discount fares, domestic flights, or travel itineraries. You also could search for keywords San Antonio AND budget, or even the Alamo AND discount admission.

Many people -- even those who periodically use the Internet -- aren't familiar with the basic concepts behind searching the Web. For example, a recent study showed that in major search engines, our of the top 10 most common keyword searches were site names or address (for example, CNN or www.cnn.com).

What are keywords?

Think off Web pages as pages of a library book. Rather than browsing the aisles or using the library catalog, you must type words from that book into a computer. If you type in words like and, the, and what, you'll find virtually every book in the library. If you type in keywords such as Arthur Miller, Death, and Salesman, you will narrow your results to the book you want.

What keywords should you use for your Internet research?

Start broad. For starters your topic is a keyword (for example, painting). This search will give you many results.
Use related keywords. If the broad search yields too many results or the results aren't specific enough, and add related keywords (for example, painting AND botanical).
Narrow keywords if necessary. If your results will included many sites you don't want , you can narrow your search in several ways (for example, botanical painting NOT prints). (See "What is Boolean Logic?")

Boolean logic, used to specify how a search engine will match your search terms, can help you get right to the information you want. Many search engines allow you to use these terms. These are the most commonly used Boolean search terms:

Use to combine synonyms or similar concepts and expand your search; your results pages will include either search term. (Ex. "Mark Twain OR Samuel Clemens")

AND

Use to combine different words and narrow your search; your results will be only those pages that include both terms. (Ex. "astronomy AND history") You also can express AND as a plus sign. (Ex. "+astronomy +history")

NOT

Use to exclude a word from your search and narrow your search; your results will not include pages that contain the excluded term. (Ex. "bears NOT teddy") You also can express NOT as a minus sign. (Ex. "teddy -bear")

* (Asterisk)

Use to find terms with varied word endings and expand your search; your results will include pages that contain your search terms in different forms. (Ex. "embroider* AND patterns," results will contain patterns and any or all of the following words: embroider, embroiders, embroidery, and embroidered)

" " (Quotation Marks)

Use to find search terms as a phrase and narrow your search; your results will include only pages that contain the phrase. (Ex. "The Joy Luck Club")

Anyone can make a Web site -- it's so simple that many kids do it. Separating the quality, trustworthy sites from the rest isn't so easy. so how do you tell the good from the bad" First, you need to understand your search results.

A search engine will return results with the Web site titles and addresses, and typically a brief description of each site. Combination directories and search engines often will include each site's directory path, as well (for example, Kids and Teens > School time > Foreign Languages > Spanish). Some search engines also feature a "view related pages" link."

It takes a Web-savvy eye to select the best sites from the search results. Keep these important factors in mind:

The owners of a Web site write the brief description you see in the search results. There is no objective verification of this description. For example, a site described as "Your one-stop source for the best travel deals on the net" may not meet that description.
The order in which the results appear is based primarily on relevancy (the number of times your keywords appear on the site), but many companies and others pay search engines to have their site appear above relevancy-rated results.

As you review your search results, some quality factors are evident. The description might include the most important factor -- the site's source, the trustworthiness of which you can assess. Another general tip for getting to credible sites in your search results is to consider sites from organization (.0rg) government (.gov), and educational institutions (.edu) before others.

Once you go to a Web site, you must continue your evaluation process. It's easy to make a Web site look good, so don't be fooled by an attractive design. The site's source might be a commercial company; a government; a nonprofit or other organization; a news, magazine, dictionary, or other publication; or an individual. Weigh this information about the source, along with the following five requirements. A good Web site might not meet all these requirements, but it will meet most of them.

Authority

Is it clear what company, organization, or individual is responsible for the site?
Can you learn more about the site's source and its background on the Web site?
Can you verify the legitimacy of the company, organization, or individual?

Accuracy

Are the sources for any factual information presented clearly so that you can verify it?
Is the text free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors?

Objectivity

Are the source's biases and motivations clear? Are they appropriate?
If there is any advertising on the site, is it clearly differentiated from other content?
Is the information provided as a public service?

Currency

Are there dates on the site to indicate when the content was written or last revised?
Do the site's policies explain how information is kept current?

Coverage

Is the site complete or still under construction?
If the site is a news source, does it indicate whether it offers more or less extensive coverage than a print version?

Privacy

Check the site's privacy policy. Does the site clearly state that it does not track your innately private activities, such as searching for information about a health problem?
Does the site guarantee that your information, such as your E-mail address, will not be passed along to advertisers and other businesses?

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To learn more about Major Search Engines, click here.

To learn more about Specialized Search Engines, click here.