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Search Engines

Benefits & Search Techniques of

Commonly Used Web Directories & Search Engines

Brought to you by the Sitka School District Librarians

Web Directories

Click to See a Review of the Web Directory
Click to Link to the Web Directory

NorthernLight

Search Results are Likely to be:
Educational Research-based

Specific Search Tips: typical web searching with a full +/- system that supports truncation and automatically searches plurals

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Search results are organized into easy to understand catagorized sub folders
  • Clean organization

    • Allows for publication searches

Northern Light
http://www.northernlight.com

Statewide Library Education Directory (SLED)

Search Results are Likely to be:
General Alaskan users' needs

Specific Search Tips:

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Use of the site is reviewed monthly by state libararians

    • Easily availalbe links are determined by usage
 Sled
http://sled.alaska.edu

Yahoo

Search Results are Likely to be:
Educational

Specific Search Tips:

Comments/Recommendations:

 Yahoo
http://www.yahoo.com

Yahooligans

Search Results are Likely to be:
Educational

Specific Search Tips:

Comments/Recommendations:
 

 Yahooligans
http://www.yahooligans.com

Eblast

Search Results are Likely to be:
Educational

Specific Search Tips: basic search techniques, indexes sites reviewed by the editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, all sites are recommended: 1-5 stars

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Provides subject indexes
  • Highlights "Site of the Day"
  • Links to Encyclopedia Britannica on-line
  • Provides "Bookmarks of the Smart and Famous"
  • Allows for simultaneous searching at AltaVista
 EBlast
http://www.eblast.com
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Search Engines

Click to See a Review of the Web Directory
Click to Link to the Web Directory

AltaVista

Search Results are Likely to be:
Educational Research-based

Specific Search Tips: simple and advanced searching using +/-, wild cards, truncation, and exact phrases

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Allows for a search of terms specific to these fields: URL, host, applet, anchor, images
  • Has ability to limit search to pages written in specified languages
  • Allows speciality searches such as maps, graphics, people finder

    • Has ability to refine searches and translate text to a variety of languages.
 AltaVista
http://www.altavista.com

Dogpile

Search Results are Likely to be:
Variety 

Specific Search Tips:

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Allows you to prioritize the search engine you wish to use
  • Supports 25 search engines

    • Results are listed by search engine
 Dogpile
http://www.dogpile.com

Excite

Search Results are Likely to be:
Commercial

Specific Search Tips: Simple and advanced searching using +/- and boolean searches of AND, OR, NOT

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Searches for the concept of what you are searching for as well as the key words
  • Allows for extended searching
  • Offers a Search Wizard which is a thesaurus
  • Provides a helpful reference desk

    • Provides a link to note-worthy news articles releated to your search
 Excite
http://www.excite.com

HotBot 

Search Results are Likely to be:
Variety

Specific Search Tips:

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Has a search editor that gives you many search options such as words, phrases, titles, URL's, recency, language, and the length of description on matches

    • Displays a lot of advertising
 HotBot
http://www.hotbot.com

Infoseek

Search Results are Likely to be:
Commercial

Specific Search Tips:

Comments/Recommendations:

 Infoseek
http://www.infoseek.com

Lycos

Search Results are Likely to be:
Variety

Specific Search Tips: basic and advanced searching using +/-, AND and NOT, and phrases; advanced searching allows you to specify the content (i.e. any content, pictures, news groups, etc.)

Comments/Recommendations:

  • Provides subject indexes

    • Specializes in searching sounds and images
 Lycos
http://www.lycos.com

WebCrawler

Search Results are Likely to be:
Variety

Specific Search Tips:

Comments/Recommendations:
http://www.webcrawler.com
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Last updated: June 1999
For further information:
Mary Hartrich, Baranof Elementary Librarian
Janet Madsen, Verstovia Elementary Librarian
Kari Sagel, Blatchley Middle School Librarian
Sarah Jones, Sitka High School Librarian