Internet Search Strategies

Introduction

1. Web Directories are organized by topics and subtopics. 

2. Keyword Searches allow you to put in your own search word. Each one is different so be sure you read the Help or Tip section to learn about the search engine you are using. 

3. Specialized Search Tools are limited by topic and will not search the whole Internet. 

4. Guides and Hot Lists are links that are compiled by other people and usually categorized.

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Tutorials

• How to Search - http://www.2learn.ca/research/search.html
  
  
• Sink or Swim: Internet Search Tools & Techniques - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/library/sink.html ..Covers Search Engines and Directories, Search Strategies, Search Engine Comparisons, and Exercises to practice these skills.
  
  
• 4 Nets for Better Searching - http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/fournets.htm...4 techniques:  Narrow the search, Find Exact Phrases, Trim back the URL, and Look for similar pages.  Includes activities to try for each technique.

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General Information

• Kids Click:  Worlds of Web Searching - http://www.rcls.org/wows/...Kid-friendly information on the different ways to search for information on the Internet.
  
  
• Search Engine Watch - http://www.searchenginewatch.com/facts/index.html
  
  
• Difference Between Search Engines and Directories - http://kathyschrock.net/slideshows/searching/frame0001.htm ...PowerPoint Slideshow
  
  
• Choose the best search for your purpose - http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/
  information/5locate/adviceengine.html 
  ...Categorized by the type of information you need and provides links to the best search tool for that purpose.
  
  
• Specialized Search Engines and Directories - http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/searching/specialized.html...Websites for finding specific information.
  
  
• Yahooligans! Teaching Search Strategies - http://www.yahooligans.com/tg/search.html ...Teach your students, and yourself, how to search for sites with Yahooligans! Walk through a basic search for some animal Web sites to demonstrate the best way to conduct successful searches.
  
  
• FindSpot - http://www.findspot.com ...FindSpot boasts links to major search engines, Web directories, Usenet search utilities, and Internet resource directories. Click on Help &Tips for a good source of student-appropriate information on how to use search engines.
  
  
• Internet Web Text Index - http://www.december.com/web/text/ ...What is the Internet and how is it used? The terminology is defined on this site. Find out how to search, explore, and browse.
  
  
• The Boolean Machine - http://kathyschrock.net/rbs3k/boolean/ ...try this simple Javascript tool when teaching students effective search strategies; works well for whole class instruction
  
  
• Vivisimo - http://www.vivisimo.com/...a form of meta-search engine that clusters the results of queries to various search engines and directories; the results are grouped based on title, URL, and brief descriptions found on the Web sites; best used for getting an overview of what is available. Use Vivísimo with your organization's own search engines on the web or on your corporate extranet or intranet.
  
  
• Second Generation Searching on the Web - http://library.albany.edu/internet/second.html...Covers the following Search Engines - Applied Semantics, Direct Hit, Google, Ixquick Metasearch, GuideBeam, SurfWax and TracerLock.  Details how to use each and advantages/disadvantages.
  
  

Web Directories

• Yahoo - http://yahoo.com
  
  
• Webcrawler Guide - http://www.webcrawler.com/select/
  
  
• Lycos A2Z Index - http://a2z.lycos.com
  
  
• Study Web - http://www.studyweb.com
  
  
• Education World - http://db.education-world.com/perl/browse

Keyword Searches

• Altavista - http://altavista.com
  
  
• Excite - http://www.excite.com
  
  
• HotBot - http://hotbot.com
  
  
• WebCrawler Search - http://www.webcrawler.com
  
  
• Lycos - http://www.lycos.com
  
  
• Metacrawler (Multiple Search Engine) - http://www.metacrawler.com
  
  
• Dogpile (Multiple Search Engine) - http://www.dogpile.com
  
  
• All the Web.com - http://www.alltheweb.com
  
  
• Google - http://www.google.com/ Good for broad, topic-level queries. Simple key word searching. Looking for the best site on the Web on a subject or a particular URL.
  
  
• Northern Light - http://www.northernlight.com/ Good for specific information. Create highly detailed queries.

Specialized Search Tools

• American Memory Collection - http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem Specialized search tool dedicated to history
  
  
• Search.com - http://www.search.com

• New York Times on the Web - http://www.nytimes.com/
  
  
• MapQuest.com - http://www.mapquest.com/
  
  
• Yellowpages.com - http://www.yellowpages.com/
  
  

Guides and Hot Lists

• Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/index.html ... Excellent resources listed by subject. Alphabetic index also available.
  
  
• Hazel's Home Page - http://www.marshall-es.marshall.k12.tn.us/jobe ...Check out the site index - topics include: Professional Development, Internet Integration (Curriculum Development, Sites & Suggestions, Making the Connection), Web Page Design, Video Conferencing, and Kids' Places (Interactive Thing to Do and Class Projects)
  
  
• Gander Academy's Theme-Related Resources on the WWW - http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/themes.html
  
  
• Blue Web'n - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/ ...Scroll down to Search the Content table. Web sites listed by web based tutorial, activities, projects, units and lesson plans, hotlists, other references, references and tools.
  
  
• Online References - Hotlist - http://lttechno.com/links/references.html  ...Links to Free online encyclopedias, almanacs, biographical references, and reference gateways

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'Kid Safe' Search Engines

• Searchopolis - http://www.searchopolis.com/ ...Searchopolis offers a powerful filtered search engine and numerous powerful educational resources. However, for registered users with a login and password, Searchopolis provides an additional set of incredible online tools such as e-mail, a calendar, Virtual LockerSM and GradeCheckerSM.
  
  
• Yahooligans: The Web Guide for Kids - http://www.yahooligans.com/
  
  
• Ask Jeeves! - http://www.ajkids.com/
  
  
• Kids Click - http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/ ...Click on the Advanced Search to limit search to a specific reading level.
  
  
• Bess, the Internet Retriever - http://www.bess.net/

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