FINDING   SEARCH   ENGINES

SEARCH ENGINES

The World Wide Web can be searched through numerous search engines. Basically, a search engine is a subject guide or index to WWW information. It provides category or "free text" searching of the Web and posts a listing of web site names and URL addresses. This illustrates how to easily locate some of the more popularly used search engines.

• Click the Web Guides link on the SAC Library Home Page

  
  

• Use the listing of WWW search engines shown in the table below:

• Search engines generally allow two types of searches:
  1. Category search
     • Allows users to scan through a listing of pre-defined subject categories

     • Problem: guessing which category will include an oddball or complex topic

  2. Free-text subject search
     • Searches for any mention of the selected word in a web site's name, URL address, or description

     • Problem: often results in "false hits"
  
  

  
  

• To conduct an efficient subject search, there are certain steps that should be taken:

  1. Check the "HELP" or "SEARCH TIPS" links that appear on each search engine
     • Specifies the exact search protocols that are used in the database

     • Notes if BOOLEAN operators [ and, or not ] are permitted

     • Identifies any other special search techniques such as truncation

  2. Always use precise search terms / phrases
     • Include all essential words in query

     • Wherever possible, use word phrases instead of individual words

     
     

  3. Create a "WWW Research Worksheet" to improve overall search results

     
     

     • Encourages you to "think out" your search request

       
       

     • Serves as a quick reminder of the search "tips" for commonly used search engines

       
       

     • Enables you to determine which are the best search engines

  
  

• NOTE: The number that often appears next to the web site is NOT a ranking or evaluation score. It simply indicates how closely that site matched your original search phrase.

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