Internet Search StrategiesInternet Search Strategies

 USCS | An Adventure of the American Mind | Revised: 05/26/04

Ask: What do I want to do?Ask: What do I want to do?

Browse? Browse? Locate a specific piece of Locate a specific piece of

information? information? Retrieve everything I can on the Retrieve everything I can on the

subject? subject?

Your answer will determine your Your answer will determine your strategy.strategy.

Browse? Browse?

Locate a specific piece Locate a specific piece of information? of information?

Retrieve everything I Retrieve everything I can on the subject?can on the subject?

Use a subject directory Use a subject directory or a mega/meta-search or a mega/meta-search engineengine

Go to a major search Go to a major search engine or a specialized engine or a specialized databasedatabase

Try the same search on Try the same search on several engines and use several engines and use resources off the web resources off the web tootoo

SEARCH ENGINESSEARCH ENGINES EXAMPLESEXAMPLES Created by computer robots or Created by computer robots or spiders, which travel the Web on a spiders, which travel the Web on a regular basis gathering and indexing regular basis gathering and indexing information. information. Collected information is searched Collected information is searched with keywords or phrases. with keywords or phrases. No browsing or subject categories. No browsing or subject categories. Cover a much larger part of the Cover a much larger part of the Web than the subject directories. Web than the subject directories. Has features to narrow and refine a Has features to narrow and refine a search. search.

Alta VistaAlta Vista   GoogleGoogle   AlltheWebAlltheWeb   ExciteExcite   HotbotHotbot   LycosLycos

  SUBJECT DIRECTORIESSUBJECT DIRECTORIES EXAMPLESEXAMPLESCreated and maintained by human editors Created and maintained by human editors who review and select sites based on some who review and select sites based on some predetermined criteria. predetermined criteria. Arranged in hierarchical subject categories Arranged in hierarchical subject categories and sub-categories. and sub-categories. Does not search text, but rather the title and Does not search text, but rather the title and description of the site. description of the site. Often indexes only the home page or top Often indexes only the home page or top level pages of a site. level pages of a site. Best for browsing or searching using Best for browsing or searching using general terms. general terms. Good source for popular topics, Good source for popular topics, organizations, commercial sites and organizations, commercial sites and products. products.

Yahoo!Yahoo!

About.comAbout.com

BeaucoupBeaucoup

CompletePlanetCompletePlanet

LookSmartLookSmart

LycosLycos

Open Directory POpen Directory Projectroject

Academic InfoAcademic Info

InfomineInfomine

Librarian's IndexLibrarian's Index

META-SEARCH ENGINEMETA-SEARCH ENGINESS   EXAMPLESEXAMPLES

Sends your search query to several Sends your search query to several individual search engines at one individual search engines at one time and compiles the results. time and compiles the results. Useful for simple searches and Useful for simple searches and determining which search engine to determining which search engine to use. use. Typically they catch only about Typically they catch only about 10% of search results in any of the 10% of search results in any of the search engines they visit. search engines they visit.

MetacrawlerMetacrawler

IXQuickIXQuick

DogpileDogpile

CNET:SearchCNET:Search

MetorMetor

ProfusionProfusion

VivisimoVivisimo

SPECIALIZED DATABASESPECIALIZED DATABASESS EXAMPLESEXAMPLES The "invisible web," databases, such as The "invisible web," databases, such as those maintained by academic institutions those maintained by academic institutions and government agencies. and government agencies. High quality information sites. High quality information sites. Database content is not indexed by Database content is not indexed by general search tools. general search tools. Uses its own search box into the Uses its own search box into the contents of the database. contents of the database. Some databases are subscriptions and Some databases are subscriptions and available only to authorized users with a available only to authorized users with a password or some are only available in a password or some are only available in a library because license agreement does library because license agreement does not allow off-site users. not allow off-site users.

FirstGov FirstGov

MN West MN West

Databases Databases

InvisibleWeb.coInvisibleWeb.com OR m OR

Invisible-Web.net Invisible-Web.net

Internet Movie Internet Movie Database Database

Tips for General SearchingTips for General Searching My Plump Starfish Quickly Lowered Lincoln’s My Plump Starfish Quickly Lowered Lincoln’s

TieTie(-) (+)(-) (+) +meat  -potatoes, +saturn –car+meat  -potatoes, +saturn –car

** librar* returns library, libraries, librarian, etc.librar* returns library, libraries, librarian, etc.

colo*r returns color (American spelling) and colo*r returns color (American spelling) and colour (British spelling)colour (British spelling)

“”“” "bye bye miss american pie""bye bye miss american pie"

•presidentpresident retrieves both retrieves both presidentpresident and and PresidentPresident

•If you have a web page and would like to know who is If you have a web page and would like to know who is linking to it, linking to it, EXAMPLE: link:www.memory.loc.gov/EXAMPLE: link:www.memory.loc.gov/•Searching for a keyword in the title field, rather than as a Searching for a keyword in the title field, rather than as a keyword alone, will very likely produce more relevant keyword alone, will very likely produce more relevant responses, responses, EXAMPLE: title:"web search tutorial"EXAMPLE: title:"web search tutorial"

More on Field SearchingMore on Field Searching Field searching allows you to specify exactly Field searching allows you to specify exactly

where you want the search engine to look in the where you want the search engine to look in the Web document.Web document.

Major fields of a webpage include: Major fields of a webpage include: TitleTitle LinkLink Host (or Site)Host (or Site) URLURL DomainDomain

HOST (OR SITE) SEARCHINGHOST (OR SITE) SEARCHINGIf you are seeking information that resides on a specific If you are seeking information that resides on a specific computer or server, you can narrow your search with a computer or server, you can narrow your search with a "host" or "site" query, "host" or "site" query, EXAMPLE: host:www.sc.eduEXAMPLE: host:www.sc.edu

returns pages hosted at the University of South Carolina.returns pages hosted at the University of South Carolina.

URL SEARCHINGURL SEARCHINGIf you are seeking a specific file, and that file's name is part If you are seeking a specific file, and that file's name is part of the host site's URL, you may find it more quickly by of the host site's URL, you may find it more quickly by choosing a URL search, choosing a URL search, EXAMPLE:   url:bck2skolEXAMPLE:   url:bck2skol

returns sites in which the filename, bck2skol, incorporated returns sites in which the filename, bck2skol, incorporated into the URL.into the URL.

DOMAIN SEARCHINGDOMAIN SEARCHING

eduedu -- educational site -- educational site comcom -- commercial business site -- commercial business site govgov -- U.S. governmental/non-military site -- U.S. governmental/non-military site milmil -- U.S. military sites and agencies -- U.S. military sites and agencies netnet -- networks, internet service providers, -- networks, internet service providers, organizations organizations orgorg -- U.S. non-profit organizations and others -- U.S. non-profit organizations and others

EXAMPLE:  domain:edu EXAMPLE:  domain:edu ANDAND "On the Origin of "On the Origin of Species"Species" AND AND Darwin      Darwin     ANDAND paleontology paleontology

If you are seeking information from a particular If you are seeking information from a particular international domain, you may choose to search the international domain, you may choose to search the domain geographically using the two-letter country domain geographically using the two-letter country code.code.

EXAMPLE: domain:UKEXAMPLE: domain:UK AND AND "Edward de Vere "Edward de Vere 17th Earl of Oxford"17th Earl of Oxford"

which limits your search to sites in the United which limits your search to sites in the United Kingdom dealing with the Shakespearean authorship Kingdom dealing with the Shakespearean authorship question.question.

Other searchable fields include anchor, applet, object, Other searchable fields include anchor, applet, object, text, language, sound, pictures, and date.text, language, sound, pictures, and date.

IMAGE SEARCHINGIMAGE SEARCHINGIf you want to find a particular image on the web, If you want to find a particular image on the web, you may choose an IMAGE search. You will need you may choose an IMAGE search. You will need to specify the image by name, which works well if to specify the image by name, which works well if the name is part of the image file name. If not, you the name is part of the image file name. If not, you may miss that particular image altogether, may miss that particular image altogether, EXAMPLE: IMAGE:bones.gifEXAMPLE: IMAGE:bones.gif

Tips for Boolean SearchingTips for Boolean Searching Boolean OperatorsBoolean Operators

OR, |OR, | solar OR system, solar|systemsolar OR system, solar|system

AND, &AND, & space AND station, space & station space AND station, space & station

NOT, !, ~NOT, !, ~ Washington NOT GeorgeWashington NOT George

AND NOT, AND NOT, ANDNOTANDNOT

pepsi AND NOT cokepepsi AND NOT coke

Tips for Boolean Searching, cont’dTips for Boolean Searching, cont’d

Always enclose OR statements in parentheses Always enclose OR statements in parentheses EXAMPLE: Yosemite (campgrounds OR EXAMPLE: Yosemite (campgrounds OR reservations)reservations)

Always use CAPS when typing Boolean Always use CAPS when typing Boolean operators in your search statements.operators in your search statements. EXAMPLE: "immune system" AND EXAMPLE: "immune system" AND homeopathic (medicine OR remedy)homeopathic (medicine OR remedy)

Proximity OperatorsProximity OperatorsNEARNEAR

The NEAR operator allows you to search for terms The NEAR operator allows you to search for terms situated within a specified distance of each other in situated within a specified distance of each other in any order, any order, EXAMPLE: phylogeny NEAR EXAMPLE: phylogeny NEAR ontogenyontogeny

ADJ (adjacent to)ADJ (adjacent to)Even fewer search engines accept ADJ (adjacent Even fewer search engines accept ADJ (adjacent to). ADJ works as a phrase except that the two to). ADJ works as a phrase except that the two terms, which must appear adjacent to each other terms, which must appear adjacent to each other in the webpage, can appear in any order, in the webpage, can appear in any order, EXAMPLE: Ernest ADJ HemingwayEXAMPLE: Ernest ADJ Hemingway

Proximity Operators, cont’dProximity Operators, cont’d SAME and FBYSAME and FBY

SAME (keywords found in the same field) and SAME (keywords found in the same field) and FBY (followed by), are used as advanced FBY (followed by), are used as advanced searching techniques in library and other searching techniques in library and other specialized databases that contain bibliographic specialized databases that contain bibliographic citations or references to journal articles, but are citations or references to journal articles, but are not yet employed by search engines.not yet employed by search engines.

More Advice On SearchingMore Advice On Searching Know the default (basic) settings your search engine Know the default (basic) settings your search engine

uses (OR or AND). This will have an effect on how uses (OR or AND). This will have an effect on how you configure your search statement because, if you you configure your search statement because, if you don't use any signs (+, - " "), the engine will default don't use any signs (+, - " "), the engine will default to its own settings. to its own settings.

Do not put a space between a + or - sign and the Do not put a space between a + or - sign and the keywordkeyword..

Do NOT put quotation marks around a single word.Do NOT put quotation marks around a single word. When entering a string of several words, put your When entering a string of several words, put your

most important keywords firstmost important keywords first Combine phrases with keywords, using the double Combine phrases with keywords, using the double

quotes and the plus (+) and/or minus (-) signs.quotes and the plus (+) and/or minus (-) signs.EXAMPLE:+cowboys +"wild west" -football -EXAMPLE:+cowboys +"wild west" -football -dallasdallas

More Advice On Searching, cont’dMore Advice On Searching, cont’d When searching for a phrase alone, the +sign is not When searching for a phrase alone, the +sign is not

necessary.necessary. When searching within a document for the location When searching within a document for the location

of your keyword(s), use the "find" command on that of your keyword(s), use the "find" command on that page. page.

Know whether or not the search engine you are Know whether or not the search engine you are using maintains a STOP WORD list. These words using maintains a STOP WORD list. These words are often ignored when keyed as search terms, but are often ignored when keyed as search terms, but “” or a + in front may make them searchable. “” or a + in front may make them searchable. Examples: a, about, an, and, are, as, at, be, by, from, Examples: a, about, an, and, are, as, at, be, by, from, how, i, in, is, it, of, on, or, that, the, this, to, we, how, i, in, is, it, of, on, or, that, the, this, to, we, what, when, where, which, with, etc.what, when, where, which, with, etc.

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Disclaimer: the content on this page has been taken directly Disclaimer: the content on this page has been taken directly from the above sourcesfrom the above sources