Internet Search Tools
Search Engines
A search engine searches for and identifies web pages on the Internet that contain one or more keywords specified by the user. To increase the likelihood of retrieving relevant resources use specific search terms; you will get poor results if you input a vague or very general term.
Tips for using search engines
- Use at least two engines, each will give different results.
- Use more than one keyword unless your subject is very specific.
- Basic and advanced searching options, use the advanced option if you need to narrow your search
- Use the online help for search tips.
Major Engine - Google
Subject Guides
A subject guide is a source where the resources have been selected and classified by human effort into various subject headings. This enables you to browse by subject and can be useful for starting a search.
Major Guide - Yahoo
Multiple Search Engines
This type of engine does not have its own database but enables you to search more than one engine at a time. One drawback is that a complicated search query may not work because it is not understood by all the engines consulted by this multiple tool.
Multiple Search Engine - Dogpile
Subject Gateways
A subject gateway is a portal to information in a specific subject area.
A list of the major subject gateways can be found at the following guide: Pinakes
Online Guides
Remember your library may have guides for finding resources in your subject and more general guides on searching the Internet. Try these online guides:
RDN Virtual Training Suite
The Online Skills Interactive Course (TONIC)
Evaluating Information
Remember, anyone can produce and publish information via web pages. Although there are lots of valuable sites information may not be accurate or deliberately false. It is extremely important that you evaluate what you find on the web.
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