Searching the Internet can be confusing. It is estimated that of the 800 million+ web pages in existence, only 42% are actually indexed and NO SEARCH TOOL FINDS EVERYTHING! For more information about search engines, go to: The Search Engine Watch .
How Search Engines Work
There are many search tools on the Internet. There are three types of search tools. Spiders or crawlers search the Internet and index pages automatically. The second type is done by humans and people must submit information to be indexed. The third type is a combination of the two.
|
|
Voted three times Most Outstanding Search Engine by Search Engine Watch readers. |
|
|
If you tried Google and didn't find it, All The Web should probably be next on your list. |
| Yahoo |
Launched in 1994. The Web's oldest "directory". |
| MSN |
Human powered directory and crawler. |
| AskJeeves |
Origially called a "natural language" search engine, in reality a crawler. |
| Librarians Index to the Internet |
Very small search directory. Non profit. |
Subject Specialty Search Tools
Some search engines on the Internet specialize in a specific subject or field of study. To find other subject specialty search engines look at Searchability.com
|
|
Computer and Internet technology |
|
|
Movie & video information and reviews |
| Lawsource |
Legal |
Searching Tips
- Don't start a search before thinking it through. (What are your keywords or phrases?)
- Know your search engine-Don't use the wrong search style.
- Don't misspell words. Computers don't know intent & only search for the word as you spelled it.
- Don't use just one search tool. Each is different and may include different information. Don't be a slave to the same tool.
- Make use of the help files & advanced search options. Most searchers don't and it will make a difference.
- Search engines are continuously evolving and new ones are constantly emerging. Remember to try new tools and use the one that work best for you.
return to top
