Web Searching

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Searching the WWW

Introduction

There are many ways of finding information on the WWW, from the extremely inefficient method of browsing, to using the advanced options of a WWW search engine. This tutorial will explain the basic means of efficiently finding information through a search engine query.

What is a Web search tool?

WWW search tools, (otherwise known as search engines), are WWW sites which maintain a database of URL's and associated descriptions for their documents.

What does it do?

When a search engine receives a query, it performs a search of its database and returns a list of matches, (or hits). Every search engine formats and organizes the search results differently. One engine may list all its matches with a brief helpful description of the document and the date the document was indexed. While another engine may provide only the first few lines of the document for each succesful hit.

There are two basic types of search tools

• Indexed Database Engines
  • Based on keyword searching, these engines are capable of automatically indexing hundreds of thousands of documents each day.
• Subject Directory Engines
  • Documents are reviewed by individuals; similar to subject trees and hierarchies found in library catalogs.
• An additional type of engine, meta-search engine is described in the next page.

Which search engine type one utilizes is dependent upon what kind of information for which one is searching. An indexed database is good for comprehensive searches, while a subject directory is good for general browsing of a given subject.