Searching for Information on the Internet

Different Types of Search Engines & How They Work

The Internet contains a wealth of reference materials on countless topics. Successfully locating the information you need can be difficult if you don't understand how to conduct a search.

There are two basic kinds of online tools available for searching on the Web, robots and directories. A robot (also called a spider) uses a program that visits websites to search, catalog, and organize information. Robots don't discriminate about the information they collect and tend to be very large. A popular robot is AltaVista. A directory is basically a list, usually categorized, of information on the web that has been put together by someone. Directories tend to be more limited and selective in the information that they contain. Yahoo! and it's counterpart for children Yahooligans! are examples of directories.

The type of search engine you choose should depend on the type of information you are seeking and your level of skill. For beginners, a directory may be the best choice.

For example, to search for articles on writing good resumes in Yahoo!, one can select the main topic, Business and Economy. From there, the topic Employment leads to the subtopic Resumes. Clicking Resumes gives you the option of choosing Resume Writing Tips which yields 9 selections on writing effective resumes. Just 4 mouse clicks to success!

When searching for a more obscure topic, however, choosing a robot is likely to give you a better chance of finding the desired information, though it may take you longer to conduct the search.

To read more about the different types of search engines and how they operate visit:

Secrets of Searching the Web

Find It On The Net!

Choosing the Best Search Engine for the Job

Conducting An Effective Search

Your success in finding information on the Internet will depend upon several factors:

• Whether the information you desire is actually available on the Internet
• Selection of the best search engine for the job
• How effectively you define your search criteria

Some search engines allow you to refine your search beyond the level of a simple search. AltaVista provides an Advanced Search option.

Conducting an Advanced Search Using AltaVista

1. Open AltaVista and click on Advanced Search .
2. Use of lower-case letters is generally recommended because it indicates a search that is not case-sensitive.
3. In the large box titled Selection Criteria type in the word(s) for which you wish to search.
   • Use quotation marks to enclose a name or phrase containing two or more words. (For example, "school board" or "university of chicago".)
   • To limit your search results to sites containing two or more specific terms use AND. (For example, gardening and roses.)
   • To search for sites using any of one or more similar terms, use OR. (For example, to search for information on pigs, you might type pig or hog or swine.)
   • To exclude sites containing certain terms, use AND NOT. (For example, to look for web sites with information on kangaroos but not kangaroo rats, type kangaroo and not rat.)
   • Use of the word NEAR locates sites in which the chosen search words fall within 10 words of each other. (For example, pizza near chicago.)
   • Use parentheses to clarify grouping in search expressions when needed. (For example, kangaroo and not (rat or captain), should eliminate sites about kangaroo rats and Captain Kangaroo from your search results.
4. To further refine your search results, type other pertinent words in the smaller box labeled Results Ranking Criteria. Articles containing these words will be listed first in your search results.
5. Since rules may vary from one search engine to another, it is advisable to read the Help file before using a given search engine for the first time.

To read more about conducting searches using various search engines visit:

Tips on Popular Search Engines

For suggestions on what to do when your search doesn't work see:

Classroom Connect's Hints & Tips for Searching the Internet