How
To Do Effective Searches Online
You found my page by typing in an address URL, following a link or
by doing a search. I will try to help you improve your search
techiques.
If you are searching the Internet for webpages, you have a large selection
of
seach engines, multi-threaded search engines, indexes and information
collections to use to find the information you want.
Search Engines
Search engines allow you to enter keywords in a search text enty box
that are then compared to an index or database. The search engine
then displays links to and perhaps summaries of the WWW documents
that match your criteria.
You can then click on the link to visit the site you want.
While, all search engines are disigned to do basiclally the same job,
they may do it in very different ways which may yeild very different results.
If you don't get the results you want, change the key words, refine your
search or try another search engine.
Form Your Question
First, decide what you are looking for and put it clearly and
briefly
in
words. Try to be as specific as possible. For example if you are
looking for information about Canadian ducks, a search for just "birds"
could give you too many links about birds from all over the world.
Likewise, "Canadian migratory birds" might still be too broad.
Refining Your Search
If your search yeilds too many or too few matches, refine your search
or change it slightly. "Canadian wild ducks" may give you better
results.
If you still haven't found what you want, try a different search engine.
Most search engines allow you to use Bolean logic. That is just
a fancy term to say theat you can use criteria like AND, OR, NOT, +
(same as AND) and - (same as NOT). For example "Computer
+ Games - Quake" is usually equal to "Compuer AND Games NOT Quake".
Both these would search for all computer games except Quake.
Multi-Threaded Search Engines
I reccommend that you try a multi-threaded searh engine such ad DogPile
first.
Try it and you will find that it enters your key words into several
search engines at the same time. If you are not satisfied with
the intitial results, you will see a link or button that ask you if you
want to search the next group of
search engines.
Some Multi-Threaded Search Engines
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