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Choosing
the Right Search Tool
Unless you are looking for information that you know is
on a specific Web site, and you already know the Web address
for that site, all your quests for information on the Web
will start at a search engine or directory. Most Web users
choose a search engine or directory such as Google or Yahoo!
and use it as a starting point whenever they begin to look
for information on the Web. However, this may not be the
best strategy for efficiently finding information on any
given topic.
Because of the differences in the way search engines and
directories collect and catalog Web sites and pages, the
results returned by each tool can differ greatly. In order
to become a savvy locator of Web information, you will need
to determine which tool will return the results that are
most relevant to answering your specfic query. Let's review
what we've learned.
Search engines:
- are compiled automatically by computers, or "spiders";
- include full-text access to Web page content; and,
- are searchable.
Directories:
- are compiled manually by humans;
- include hierarchical categorization of Web sites and
pages by subject;
- are browsable; and,
- are searchable.
The biggest difference between a search engine and a directory
is the organization of Web pages into subject categories
by humans, thereby offering the ability to browse.
Deciding which tool to use depends primarily on how much
you know about the topic and what type of information about
that topic you need.
It is best to use a search engine when you:
- know a great deal about the topic;
- can narrow the topic to a specific sub-field or concept;
and/or,
- can identify specific words or phrases within the scope
of the topic.
It is best to use a directory when you:
- know very little about the topic;
- cannot narrow the topic to specific sub-fields or concepts;
- cannot identify specific keywords or phrases within
the scope of the topic; and/or,
- want to find many similar sites around a topic.
You can determine where best to begin your query by asking
a few questions:
- What am I looking for?
- Are there any aspects of this topic that are particularly
relevant for my search?
- What words or phrases would I expect to find in Web
documents that contain the information for which I am
looking?
- Are there any synonymous or equivalent words for the
topic / sub-topic / concept / aspect of topic for which
I am looking?
Once you answer these questions, you can then decide which
strategy and tool work best for your particular topic and
your particular needs. Answering these questions will give
you an idea of how much you know about a topic and whether
or not the terms you are likely to use in your search query
will return results that will be relevant.
It is sometimes difficult to predict whether you will be
more successful using a specific search tool and/or strategy.
Almost all users first search either a search engine or
a directory, but this is not always the best method. This
is because search functions (be it a search engine or a
directory) are literal. If you enter a query for a term
or concept, the search engine or directory will search for
the word itself, which probably appears in many documents,
many of which will not relate to your topic at all.
Practice is the best way for you to recognize the best
search tool and strategy for any given query. Most likely,
you will employ a hybrid of searching and browsing both
search engines and directories in a successful search.
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