Searching the Web effectively

• Simple search techniques


• Advanced search techniques


• Evaluating your results

You can improve the quality of the results you get from using search engines dramatically if you take the time to learn a few basic techniques. Applying these techniques will greatly reduce the number of irrelevant hits that will be returned from a particular search.

Simple search techniques

Most search engines will provide a page which tells you how to make effective use of the program. Look for a link marked Help or Tips, or similar, on the main search page.

• It helps to write out your search in plain English and then underline the key concepts
• Use your imagination or a thesaurus to think of synonyms for the words you have underlined. You may need to include them in your search strategy
• Be specific: tell the search engine exactly what you want to find. Typing in more search words will narrow your search results
• Use the plus symbol + immediately in front of your search words to make sure that a search engine finds pages that have all the words you type in, not just some of them. For example, +computer +virus +macintosh will help to focus the search on the topic that you are interested in
• To exclude a word from your search, put a minus symbol - in front of it
  For example, +java -coffee will help if you are looking for java programming information rather than the stimulating beverage

Useful links:

Finding Information on the Internet Tutorial (University of California, Berkeley).
Bare Bones 101: a basic tutorial on searching the Web. (University of South Carolina).
Web searching tips (from the Search Engine Watch site)
Search Engine Features Chart (from the Search Engine Showdown site)

Advanced search techniques

Advanced searching is usually offered by most search engines - look for the link to Advanced Search on the main search page - and will certainly help to improve the relevance in the results that you obtain.

You'll also find advanced techniques such as the use of logical or Boolean operators (and, or, not) can be useful when you are using the Library's range of electronic databases to find articles on a particular topic.

Useful link:

Boolean Searching on the Internet (University of Albany Libraries) - an excellent, easy to understand explanation.

Evaluating your results

It is crucial, especially in an academic environment, to look critically at the information that you find on the Internet.

Look for: Accuracy | Authority | Objectivity | Currency | Coverage

Accuracy:
Is the information reliable and error-free?
Is there an editor or someone who verifies/checks the information?

Authority:
Is there an author? Is the paged signed?
Is the author qualified? An expert?
Is the sponsor of the page reputable?
Is there a link to further information about the author or the sponsor?
If no author or sponsor, look for a header/footer, the domain in the URL (eg .edu, .com)

Objectivity:
Does the information show a minimum of bias?
Is the page designed to sway opinion?
Is there any advertising on the page?

Currency:
Is the page dated?
If so, when was the last update?
How current are the links? Have some expired or moved?

Coverage:
What topics are covered?
What does this page offer that is not covered elsewhere?
How in-depth is the material?

For rationale and further information, see: Evaluation criteria ( New Mexico State University Library)

Useful links:

Pacifici, S. I. Getting It Right: Verifying Sources on the Net

The ABCDs of Evaluating Internet Resources (Binghamton University Libraries)