Google & Beyond Expert Internet Searching Tools & Strategies
Overview Google advanced features Advanced searching tips Search engines & meta search engines Internet Archive Invisible web & public records newsletters
How Do Search Engines Work? Spiders or crawlers Index Query agent
What Makes Google Great LINK LINK Breadth & depth Ranking technology 12 file formats Cached pages Advanced searching Toolbar Images News Viewer
New Projects at Google Labs LINK LINK Google Deskbar Google News Alert Google Viewer
New Projects at Google Labs Google Deskbar Google News Alert Google Viewer
Beyond Google: Meta Search Engines Maximize coverage Multiple search engines Clustering –Vivisimo LINK LINK –Query Server LINK LINK –Kartoo LINK LINK
A Worker Bee’s Story
Page deleted Website reorganization Website death or disability
Look for Google’s cached page Try site map or site search
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Look for Google’s cached page Try site map or site search Query webmaster Search another SE or MSE
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Look for Google’s cached page Try site map or site search Query webmaster Search another SE or MSE Check the Internet Archive
Good Answer! Good Answer!! Good Answer!!!
Internet Archive Wayback Machine LINK LINK 300+ terabytes Older than 6 months Publicly-accessible 5+ million hits / day
Other IA Features Moving images, audio & books Special collections Bookmarklet Recall: the search engine
Missing Information New or obscure No bots allowed Password-protected Intranets & firewalls Databases
The Invisible Web 500 times larger than the Visible Web Valuable Desirable More info LINK LINK
Spiders Have No Fingers Cannot type search terms LINK 1LINK 2
Signs ? in URL Long, complicated URL Search used to retrieve info Proprietary, passworded
Detecting the Invisible Web Subject-based directories –The Invisible Web Directory LINK LINK –HealthWeb LINK LINK Invisible web portals –Complete Planet LINK LINK –ProFusion LINK LINK –IncyWincy LINKLINK
Public Records All levels of government Individual, business, professional Health, medical?
Options Visit the agency Hire a public records searcher Search Internet sources Search commercial sources
Online Directories Search Systems LINK LINK BRB Publications LINK LINK Black Book Online LINK LINK
Restricted Access Personal privacy Trade secrets Permissible uses (need to know) Restricted by law National Practitioner Data Bank LINK LINK
Keeping Up-to-Date Search Engine Watch LINK LINK Search Engine Showdown LINK LINK Research Buzz LINK LINK FDA Newsletters LINK LINK
Remember Try advanced search options Use MSEs for greater efficiency Employ tools for finding “lost” info Search the Invisible Web Stay current with newsletters
Slideshow available at /mlace.ppt Nancy McMurrer & Cheryl Nyberg Gallagher Law Library University of Washington Jan. 2004