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For general browsing, see also the Subject Indexes section. The main trick to doing World Wide Web searches is using the right search tool for the task and for using key words that are in use enough to find your topic but not return excessive hits. Search tools are gaining features rapidly so the notes provided here may not always be completely relevant. Key words like "computer" and "network" will be useless because of the number of uses the search may find. Only selected search tools index all words and can find "to be or not to be" as a phrase. Learning the search syntax for the various tools is also helpful since conditional (Boolean AND, OR, AND NOT, NEAR) searches may be done using many of the tools. For new users, single word searches are the easiest. List based searches are done on announcements (typically via Usenet) provided by WWW page owners. Spider (robot) based searches look at key words returned by robots that scour the WWW looking at pages. Catalog searches typically cover indexes of a specific WWW site or set of services. Many additional searches are pointed at specific targets. Spider based searches tend to have the best general coverage. Database searches tend to have the most narrow coverage but may provide depth. The Spider's Apprentice--Tips on Searching the Web likely has better, and more up to date, reviews than I can keep up with here. See also: Search Engine Watch: News, Tips and More About Search Engines.
SINGLE INDEX SEARCHES - Searching by key word, key words, or phrase.
Use multiple search engines if you don't find your desired items using one search engine. Search engines may only index a portion of the Web.
Google is a top search engine of Web pages. This one should be my favorite as it has relevant hits in good sort order based on popularity.
Additional search tips may be available for your favorite search engine. You can find phrases (use the double quotes) such as "to be or not to be that is the question" (most search mechanisms don't track the small words). Boolean operations, available for the advanced search, include: AND, OR, NEAR, AND NOT. Capitalization and parenthesis can influence hits as well. Example search: "Better Business Bureau" AND (consumer NEAR awareness). Example sort: Better Business Bureau Dayton Ohio consumer.
DATABASE SEARCHES - Selecting specific searches.
Use these when the above return to many hits or hits unrelated to your desire.
search.com provides links to searches available in hundreds of databases.
All In 1 Search Page provides links to searches available in hundreds of databases.
META-SEARCH ENGINES - Searching by key word, key words, or phrase using multiple search engines. Having trouble finding something? Try this one stop approach! Accesses multiple search engines/databases/mechanisms and returns hyper-links.
Use these if the single indexes didn't get enough hits.
A9 searches multiple sites and returns a lot of info. Even searches inside books. Also searches products.
About.com - The network of sites led by expert guides. The personal touch to usable searches.
SEE ALSO - Additional search engine pointers.
Search Engine Watch: News, Tips and More About Search Engines likely has better, and more up to date, reviews than I can keep up with here.
The Spider's Apprentice--Tips on Searching the Web likely has better, and more up to date, reviews than I can keep up with here.
My Virtual Reference Desk - My Search Engines contains pointers to many search engines.
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