Search Tools

Search tools are used to locate Web sites when the URL is unknown; allows for subject searches on the Web. The following are three different types of search tools:

•Directories/Indexes

Created and maintained by human editors, not electronic software. The sites are selected based on criteria established by the directory. Directories usually retrieve fewer Web pages than search engines, often indexing only the top-level pages of a site. It is, however, much more likely that what is found will be relevant. Examples:
www.yahoo.com
www.snap.com
infomine.ucr.edu
Useful for finding general information on popular or scholarly subjects

•Search Engines

Large databases of Web page files that have been compiled automatically by special software, "spiders" or "robots". These robots read the Web pages and put the text (or parts of the text) into a large database or index that you may access. None of them cover the whole net, but some of them are quite large.
Examples:
www.altavista.com
www.google.com
Provide a wide range of responses to specific queries

•Meta-Search Engines

Search the databases of several individual search engines simultaneously using one interface or Web site. These search and retrieve the top of the search engine lists; they do not retrieve all of the results available from each search engine.
Examples:
www.metacrawler.com
www.dogpile.com
Useful in obtaining a quick overview on a subject and unique term
Provide a quick way of finding out which engines are retrieving the best results for your search

Boolean searching

set of rules using the terms AND, OR, NOT with relevant words to create a search. Some search tools allow for the use of the addition sign (+) or minus sign (-) directly in front of the word to force its inclusion or exclusion.

Search type

Example

Finds Web pages with

Phrase Search
(using quotation marks around desired phrase)

"interstate commerce"

interstate next to the word commerce

AND Search

(1) marketing AND business

(2) +marketing +business

both marketing and business within each page, although not necessarily next to each other

OR Search

(1) administration management
(2) administration OR management

administration or management. Some search engines do not need the OR between words; they will search for either by default.

Combination

"retail trade" -wholesale

Retail next to trade, excluding any pages with the word wholesale

Truncation
(using the asterisk to look for variations in spelling and word form)

(1) librar*
(2) manag*

library, libraries, librarian, etc.
manager, managing, management, etc.

For Further Study

The following Web sites provide tutorials for additional practice on conducting searches.

BARE BONES 101: A Very Basic Web Search Tutorial from the University of South Carolina’s Beaufort Library
[http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/bones.shtml]

Learn the Net: An Internet Guide and Tutorial – shows how to master the basics of Internet searching along with more advanced topics such as joining newsgroups, building a Web site, and doing E-business
[http://www.learnthenet.com/english/]

Search Engine Watch – provides Web searching tips and reviews of the best search engines [http://www.searchenginewatch.com/]

Search type	Example	Finds Web pages with
Phrase Search (using quotation marks around desired phrase)	"interstate commerce"	interstate next to the word commerce

AND Search	(1) marketing AND business (2) +marketing +business	both marketing and business within each page, although not necessarily next to each other

OR Search	(1) administration management (2) administration OR management	administration or management. Some search engines do not need the OR between words; they will search for either by default.

Combination	"retail trade" -wholesale	Retail next to trade, excluding any pages with the word wholesale

Truncation (using the asterisk to look for variations in spelling and word form)	(1) librar* (2) manag*	library, libraries, librarian, etc. manager, managing, management, etc.

Gorgas Library Home | UA Libraries Home | Campus Libraries | Contact Us | Copyright