All Aboard! Using Search Engines on the Web
Presented by: Pamela Kuck, Instructional Technology Director, CESA 8 Kaye Lietz, TRITON Director
Outline F What is a search engine? F What is a subject directory? F Which is better? Search engine or subject directory? F How do you narrow a search? F How do you broaden a search? F What are other searching tips? F What is a wild card? F What is a meta-search engine? F How do you search effectively?
Help! I cant find anything!!
What is a search engine? F An Internet tool that: –created by computer programs –searches for sites that contain the keyword(s) you provide –allows you to search by words or phrases –matches your request against a database –provides results in the form of links to sites –examples include Alta Vista, Infoseek and WebCrawler
What is a subject directory? F An Internet tool that: –created by a person –organizes sites by subject –allows you to browse through lists of sites by subject or topic –provides results by narrowing searches using lists of descriptors –examples include Yahoo, Excite and Magellan
Which is better? Search engine... F Search Engine –pros: u searches computer database u finds more specific resources u produces larger number of resources –cons: u produces excessive hits u requires advanced searching skills
...or subject directory? F Subject Directory –pros: u allows more control for the user u provides general information u allows the user to browse –cons: u fixed vocabulary u produces limited search resources
How do you narrow a search? F Linking search terms with the word AND narrows your search –example: heart AND attack F Only provides links to sites with both terms F Ignores sites with just one term F Using AND more than once further narrows a search –example: heart AND attack AND prevention
How do you broaden a search? F Linking search terms with the word OR broadens your search –example: aging OR elderly F Provides links to sites with either term F Useful when several words are interchangeable F Using OR more than once further broadens a search –example: aging OR elderly OR seniors
What are other searching tips? F Other terms that limit or narrow your search NOT, NEAR, WITH, AND NOT F Case sensitivity F Use of quotation marks F Read tips on search engine home page F Use of parentheses
What is a wild card F character that can be added to the root of a word –*–* F allows you to search for all possible endings –car* finds car, cars, carhop, Carnegie, etc.
What is a meta-search engine?
How do you search effectively? F Search engine or subject directory? F Be specific F Try different search engines F Read tips and help files F Have patience F DONT LOSE YOUR COOL!!
The End Happy Searching...