Key Concepts           Search Engines

It can be disconcerting to the beginner to find that the number of hits obtained can range from none to over a million, and their relevance or usefulness can vary from negligible to considerable. There are, however, guides that can greatly help improve your search results.

• If your subject is broad, start with a subject search such as Yahoo or LookSmart.
• If your subject is narrow or specific, use a keyword search such as Google, Infoseek, Excite or Snap.
• You can type in a question in some search engines like Google.
• If you are not sure, try Yahoo and take advantage of its keyword option if needed. This option narrows the search to the last subject title, but in a smaller field.
• Try a meta engine such as Savvy or Dogpile. Meta engines produce fewer hits usually of higher relevancy.
• Try a number of different search engines using the Clipboard-Bookmark procedure. You will find that the hits produced by the search engines are significantly different, and therefore the chances of your getting the document you want are much improved.
• Should your search involve an obscure or difficult-to-find topic, use a search engine having a large database such as AltaVista or HotBot.

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