Step 1: Pick the Right Search Tool
There are three types of search tools, and each is best suited to specific kinds of searches.
1. Individual Search Engines
Individual search engines utilize special software to scour the Web on a regular basis to
create their own unique searchable database. Keep in mind that when you use a search
engine you are *not* searching the entire World Wide Web. Instead, you're searching a
portion of the Web, captured by the engine's software and stored in its database. When
you use a search engine, you're asking the engine to match your keywords with its index
of Web pages.
Pros: Search engines are currently the best way to locate specific keywords, phrases,
quotes, and information found on a very large collection of Web pages of any length.
Cons: The enormity of each search engine's database virtually guarantees you'll find
thousands of irrelevant Web pages when you conduct a simple search. The key is to use
the tips below to clean up and supercharge your queries to produce the best results using
two or more search engines.
Popular Examples: Google, All the Web, AltaVista, Hotbot
2. Metasearch Engines
One way to cut down on the amount of irrelevant search results when using a search
engine is to send your query to several engines at once. That's where metasearch engines
come in. These engines don't store their own indexes to the Web; rather, you type in your
query and it's automatically sent to several search engines simultaneously.
Pros: Metasearch engines are quick. They're useful for grabbing a broad overview of a
specific subject or search query.
Cons: Most do not query Google and tend to rely on subject directories for their results.
Popular Examples: ixquick, Vivisimo, QBsearch.com
3. Subject Directories
Human beings power subject directory Web sites. Rather than relying on software to
scour billions of Web pages and create a searchable index, subject directory staffers add
links to specific Web sites to a topic tree of static Web pages. When you search a
directory using keywords, the directory matches your keywords to the names and
descriptions of the listed Web sites.
Pros: Directories are excellent for finding general Web sites on a broad variety of topics.
Their greatest strength is not their keyword-searching capability, but their topic tree. You
can start with a broad topic like Science, then drill down to an ever-increasing number of
subcategories until you find what you're looking for.
Cons: In comparison with search engines, directories contain links to a very small cross
section of available Web pages. Plus, since humans and not software power directories,
you're likely to find many more dead links in directories. (See below for tips on how to
make many of these dead links function again.)
Popular Examples: Yahoo!, Open Directory Project (DMOZ)
Step 2: Check Your Spelling
Double-check the spelling of every word in your query before you submit it. In a recent
survey of the most popular keyword searches submitted to Google over a 24-hour period,
more than 20 percent contained spelling errors. As a result, Google now offers alternative
spellings of your keywords if it thinks you've made a mistake. However, most other
search tools aren't this intelligent.
Step 3: Be Concise
Keep your search query as short as possible. While a single keyword is rarely enough,
avoid using a long string of keywords and phrases. Start with at least three keywords, and
build your query from there based on the results. For instance, lesson plans is a start;
lesson plans science is better.
Step 4: First Things First
Now that you have a small set of keywords, examine each word to be sure they are placed
in the correct order. Place the most important word(s) first, followed by more general
keywords. For example, Battle of Gettysburg U.S. Civil War is a better query than U.S.
Civil War Battle of Gettysburg if you're researching this specific engagement.
Step 5: Learn Search Engine Math
To be sure all of search words are included in your query, it's time to employ some search
engine math. That is, using plus signs to add keywords and minus signs to exclude them.
For instance, +lesson +plan +phases +of +matter will force a search engine to find Web
pages that contain all five of these words. Adding plus signs to your query is helpful in
drastically reducing the amount of results you'll receive to your query.
In the same way, minus signs will help you locate pages that contain specific words but
not others. For instance, +president +bush -Iraq will return a list of Web pages that
contain the words "president bush" and remove any of them that also contain Iraq.
Last, we can use quotation marks to multiply a search. Adding quotes around the words
you'd like to appear immediately next to one another can greatly multiply the success rate
of your search. For instance, "lesson plans" +"phases of matter" will return documents
that contain both of these phrases exactly as they're shown.
Step 6: Master Wildcards
Adding an asterisk (*) to the end of any keyword in your search will return all possible
suffixes to that word. Wildcards work best on AltaVista and Google. For example, snow*
will return snows, snowing, snowy, etc. Paint* returns paints, painting, paintings, painter,
etc.
Step 7: Remove "Stop" Words
Search engines are programmed to ignore specific words in order to speed up your
searches. These words include the, of, Web, a, to, in and is. If you include these in your
query, they will most likely be excluded from your search. Even adding a plus sign
before one of these words won't force most engines to include them in a search. However,
Google and AltaVista will include these in your search if they're "inside of quotation
marks."
Step 8: Swap Your Keywords
If you're receiving unsatisfactory results to your query, try swapping your keywords and
placing them in different locations. For instance, New York Yankees World Series could
also be presented as Yankees World Series New York or World Series Yankees New
York. Think of your query in this context: Present your keywords in the exact order you'd
expect to find them in your results.
Step 9: Fix Dead Links
On occasion, you'll click on one of your search results and get an error message that the
page can't be found. Not to worry!
Here's a simple method for solving most dead links and finding the Web page you're
looking for. Let's say this link doesn't function: http://www.site.com/info/
data/2003/info1.html
First, remove info1.html from the end and press return:
http://www.site.com/info/data/2003/
There's a good chance you'll receive a functional Web page that presents all of this site's
2003 data using this shortened address.
If you receive another error message, continue removing the last item from the link until
you get a Web page or land at the root domain: http://www.site.com/info/data/
http://www.site.com/info/ http://www.site.com
Hopefully, the site's home page found at the root domain will contain links to the content
you're searching for. Many sites move Web pages around from time to time, and this
method should help you track down their new location with relative ease.
Step 10: Try, Try Again!
If your search query results in lackluster returns, use the tips above to rework it until
you're successful. Try at least three different search tools -- two search engines and one
directory should suffice.