Introduction to Searching

Internet directories are catalogs of Web sites compiled by researchers, who include only relevant sites and often rate sites for their relevancy to your search. Key words, which you type in the query box, are the words that the search tool matches in the database. The results of these searches are called hits. Search engines often use software called spiders, webcrawlers, or robots that compile databases for you to search. We'll start our journey into the world of Internet Search with a big favorite and one of the earliest of the popular Search Engines, Yahoo!

YAHOO	http://www.yahoo.com	Hits Received
Use double quotes ( "..." ) to make your words a 'phrase'. For example: "Pacific Humpback Whales" returns just those words in the results.
Use a plus mark ( + ) in front of a word to limit search results. For example: +Siberian +Tiger won't return Siberian Husky with the results.
Use a minus sign ( - ) in front of a word to limit search results. For example: +Kodiak +bear -island won't return any Kodiak Island results.

TIP: If using a ( + ) or a ( - ) try different spacing between the words, and try upper and lower case first letters. Also, do not make your key words plural, it will limit your searches to just the plural version of the word.

HANDS ON:	Please help the Wildlife Rescue International organization locate information on:	Hits Received
Kenya's black rhinoceros
Galapagos Islands
whooping cranes
Scarlet macaws
lowland gorillas

INFOSEEK

http://www.infoseek.com

Hits Received

Words that appear next to each other and are capitalized are considered as a single name.
For example: Harrison Ford is one name.

Words that appear with commas between them are considered separately.
For example: Harrison, Ford is two names.

Use double quotation marks ( "..." ) around or ( - ) between words that should be considered as one.
For example: "tropical rain forest" or tropical-rain-forest

The rule about ( + ) and ( - ) is exactly the same as Yahoo's.

Use a pipe symbol ( | ) to narrow your search to a category word, and then search for a key word in that category.
For example: whales | baleen also try: Whale | baleen and Whale | Baleen

More Help to Search the Haystack!

Since there are approximately 1.5 million new pages added to the Internet each day, you'll need some more tools to help you find that needle! These tools are called Boolean Operators. Please note when you type these special words they must be in all CAPs.

The following table describes some of the more important Boolean Operators you'll need for more accurate search results. It must be stated, each search engine will have specific syntax for entering advanced searches, so you should always check the online help for search tips.

Operator

Function

Example

Hits

AND

Documents must contain all words joined with AND.

To find gorillas, mist, and movie, enter gorillas AND mist AND movie.

OR

Documents found must contain at least one of the words joined with OR.

To find humpback or baleen whales, enter humpback OR baleen. Try your words in upper case also.

NOT

Documents found can't contain the word that follows NOT.

To find Siberian tigers, not Siberian huskies, enter Siberian AND tiger NOT husky.

NEAR

The two word must appear next to each other.

Endangered NEAR species what happens when you use AND? Or, when you use just double quotes and the two key words?

NEAR/XX

The two words must appear within XX words of each other. Simply replace the XX with the number you want.

Tropical NEAR/30 forest what happens when you use just double quotes and eliminate the NEAR/30?

"..."

The words in quotation marks must be in the designated order.

"tropical rain forest"

(...)

Parentheses are used to clarify complex searches.

Robin NOT (Williams OR Christopher) what happens when you use Robin -Williams -Christopher?

ALTAVISTA http://www.altavista.digital.com

Altavista Search Engine partners with the Yahoo Search Engine, in fact if Yahoo can't find the answer it will farm out the search to Altavista.

HANDS ON:	What are the results of these searches? How many 'Hits' for each?	Hits Received
killer whales Try upper and lower case combinations.
tiger NEAR lion Try using another Boolean Operator.
endangered elephants Try upper and lower case combinations.
endangered marine mammals Try changing the case and use double quotes.

EXCITE http://www.excite.com

Excite, like other search engines, looks for documents containing the exact words entered in the query box; however, it also expands your search by looking for ideas that are closely related to the words you entered.

For example, if you enter the words "saving wildlife and habitats",
you not only find exact matches for the text, but you also find sites mentioning conservation and endangered species. And, Excite will display the clickable option 'More Like This', for you to try more sites similar to what you requested.

The following selection of search tools is among some of my favorites. Each will have some unique quality that you will either like or not like, it's your job to find your favorite. The Meta Search engines will return results from several companies for you. Try Dogpile, you'll like it I'm sure.

LYCOS http://www.lycos.com

HOTBOT http://www.hotbot.com

WEBCRAWLER http://www.webcrawler.com

METACRAWLER http://www.metacrawler.com

DOGPILE http://www.dogpile.com

HANDS ON: Can you find the answers to these questions?
What date was the Golden Gate Bridge completed and open to pedestrian traffic?
What are Ben and Jerry's top three flavors?
What are the names of Keiko's (Free Willy's) four trainers?
What is one of the newest attractions at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida?
What are the top three movies at the box office currently?
What is the address of the Hard Rock Café in Cabo San Lucas?
Where can a photograph of Madonna be found?
Locate and print your home address using a map feature of one of the Search Engines?

Using Specialized Directories

You can find specific information such as information on a company, government agency, a person's address or phone number, or a toll-free number in specialized directories. Here are a few of those directories listed for you.

WhoWhere? http://www.whowhere.com
Provides the following:
E-mail address, phone numbers and addresses for U.S. residential homes. Toll-free numbers of businesses, online yellow pages and URLs for companies, U.S. government agencies.

Four11 http://www.four11.com
Provides the following:
E-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and addresses for government agencies, individuals, and even celebrities.

BIGBOOK http://www.bigbook.com
Provides the following:
U.S. business listings by name, category and narrow the search by the city and state too.

BIGFOOT http://www.bigfoot.com
Provides a limited Free service and charges for full service, which includes an e-mail address for life, much like having any other Web based e-mail such as Microsoft's HotMail.

HANDS ON:
Using any of the above Specialized Search Engines, locate information on:

Your senator's e-mail address

The e-mail address for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife department.

World Wildlife Fund's street address.

A pet store in your area.

A home page for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

INFOSEEK	http://www.infoseek.com	Hits Received
Words that appear next to each other and are capitalized are considered as a single name. For example: Harrison Ford is one name.
Words that appear with commas between them are considered separately. For example: Harrison, Ford is two names.
Use double quotation marks ( "..." ) around or ( - ) between words that should be considered as one. For example: "tropical rain forest" or tropical-rain-forest
The rule about ( + ) and ( - ) is exactly the same as Yahoo's.
Use a pipe symbol ( \| ) to narrow your search to a category word, and then search for a key word in that category. For example: whales \| baleen also try: Whale \| baleen and Whale \| Baleen

Operator	Function	Example	Hits
AND	Documents must contain all words joined with AND.	To find gorillas, mist, and movie, enter gorillas AND mist AND movie.
OR	Documents found must contain at least one of the words joined with OR.	To find humpback or baleen whales, enter humpback OR baleen. Try your words in upper case also.
NOT	Documents found can't contain the word that follows NOT.	To find Siberian tigers, not Siberian huskies, enter Siberian AND tiger NOT husky.
NEAR	The two word must appear next to each other.	Endangered NEAR species what happens when you use AND? Or, when you use just double quotes and the two key words?
NEAR/XX	The two words must appear within XX words of each other. Simply replace the XX with the number you want.	Tropical NEAR/30 forest what happens when you use just double quotes and eliminate the NEAR/30?
"..."	The words in quotation marks must be in the designated order.	"tropical rain forest"
(...)	Parentheses are used to clarify complex searches.	Robin NOT (Williams OR Christopher) what happens when you use Robin -Williams -Christopher?

HANDS ON: Using any of the above Specialized Search Engines, locate information on:
Your senator's e-mail address
The e-mail address for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife department.
World Wildlife Fund's street address.
A pet store in your area.
A home page for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.