Web Searching Tools

Searching Tools	Characteristics	Used For ...	Draw Backs
*Search Engines* (For instructions on searching, see the Widener University library chart)	Huge databases of web page links assembled by software crawling through the web and indexing every word or most words on the page. Remember: you are not searching the entire web, just the search engine database fixed in time. Some are updated more frequently than others.	Finding very specific topics Finding online reports (if you know the report name, author, etc.) Narrowing or focusing a search using Boolean operators Narrowing or focusing a search by type of Web site	May retrieve too many irrelevant links Most effective if you know the search engines specific search features Not the best for finding current news and sites on broad topics

Searching Tools	Characteristics	Used For ...	Draw Backs
Meta-Search Engines (For instructions on searching, see the Widener University library chart)	Not just one database. These tools search the databases of multiple search engines simultaneously, from a single site.	Finding as much information as possible very quickly Finding very obscure phrases that may appear in only a few search engines	They apply the same interface to all search engines, so searches cannot be customized, or "tweaked."

Searching Tools	Characteristics	Used For ...	Draw Backs
General Subject Directories* (For instructions on searching, see the Widener University library chart)	Include links to sites grouped by categories. Are maintained by individuals who group sites by topic without much quality review. Search category names, titles of sites, and brief descriptions. Not web page text.	Searches on general or broad searches Finding the "home page" of an organization, business, or institution Finding sites on popular topics, organizations, commercial sites and products	Limited database Not recommended for finding web pages that are part of a larger site, complex searches or searches with more than 3 keywords

Searching Tools	Characteristics	Used For ...	Draw Backs
Specialized Subject Directories	Include links to sites on specific topics. Some will also include in depth annotations or reviews of sites. Maintained by individuals with an interest or expertise in a specific area or topic. Individuals may critique sites to determine if the sites meet established criteria. May be "frozen in time." Check revision dates.	Finding quality web sites on topics Finding academic sites, research sites, or sites selected for a specific audience	Can be difficult to identify an appropriate subject directory for a specific topic May not be regularly updated (always check for a revision date)

Searching Tools	Characteristics	Used For ...	Draw Backs
Specialized Databases and Indexes	Databases indexing information on specific topics. Some require a paid subscription to access. Some are supported by government funds or grants and offered to the public for free. Some will retrieve citations for free, but require payment to access full-text articles. Information included is very selective. Citations may include detailed abstracts. Updated regularly.	Finding references and/or summaries of traditionally published reports, articles, and other materials.	Most effective when users understand the specific searching strategies for each database. May provide some full text articles, but many references will be citations only.

* The division between "Subject Directories" and "Search Engines" is getting blurrier. Some traditional subject directories, like Yahoo!, default to a search engine if no sites are found in its database. Some search engines, like Google, include a subject directory. It's all about competition!

Need More? Internet Searching Tools from Southern Oregon University Library links to additional search engines and subject directories. Also, check out the links on effective searching and keeping up with the changing world of search engines.

Search Engine Showdown: The Users' Guide to Searching the Web offers handy search engine comparison with links to many more searching tools.

Web Tutorials and Searching Guides
Many libraries have created Web Pages that will help you learn strategies and techniques for searching the Web. The following are just a few that we have found to be particularly informative. Bare Bones 101: A Basic Tutorial on Searching the Web, University of South Carolina. Beaufort Library.
A collection of concise "lessons" for learning about searching tools and tips. From the "home page," just click on the topic that interests you. Most lessons are just 2-3 pages.

Finding Information on the Internet: A TUTORIAL, University of California, Berkeley Library
The University of California at Berkeley has prepared a series of Web pages that cover the basics, like "What is the Internet?", through the advanced features of search tools recommended by the Berkeley librarians.

A Modular Approach to Teaching the World Wide Web, Wolfgram Library, Widener University.
A Series of teaching modules, designed by reference librarians at Widener University, were designed to help professors teach their students how to use the Internet for research. They can be helpful, though, for anyone to review on their own.

Selected Subject Directories
Selected Web Search Engines
Selected Meta Search Engines
Widener University's succinct and well-organized comparison charts offer basic characteristics and searching requirements of the more popular directories and search engines.

University of Albany Libraries Internet Tutorials
The University of Albany library maintains this basic guide to using the Internet. Particularly useful are Boolean Searching on the Internet to help you refine your search and Getting Started: Selecting a Tool for Your Search.

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Updated January, 2003

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