Search engines index web sites using electronic means such as spiders, robots or worms which
roam the web and compile a database of information. In its basic form, the results list from a
search of this database contains a list of web sites which contain that search term, and the
placement of the web sites on that list is based upon the frequency of the appearance of that term,
its location on the page and similar factors.
Because of the huge number of web sites, other means are now being used to bring users of the
search engine the most relevant web sites, and to modify the placement of web sites on the results
list to present the most relevant web sites first. These methods may examine the popularity of web
sites and present the most popular sites first. Web sites may also be ranked based on the number of sites linked to them, or they may be ranked
based on how much the web site owner pays for the listing.
For best results, 1) Examine the results list carefully, determine what type of sites are
listed, and whether you want a human selected directory or a general web search, 2) read the
instructions carefully and 3) use more than one search engine. No one search engine indexes the
whole web, and coverage may not overlap.
If you wish to compare the degree of overlap of terms in major search engines, try Thumbshots
- Google
- The order of the results list returned on a Google search is based on a complicated formula
relating to the number of pages linked to the page in question. The pages with the most links from
the most important sites are given top priority on the list. Note that you may need to search for the singular and the plural of a word (dog
and dogs). Paid listings are on the right side of the page. If you need help with all of Google's special search
functions, try using Soople. Google has also prepared it own guide at Google Guide
- Yahoo!
- Yahoo now has its own search engine. The results of the Yahoo! search are also used by All the Web and
AltaVista.
- Gigablast
- Gigablast claims to index 2 billion web pages. Results are returned rapidly, and there are advanced
search options. The date that each page was indexed is given so that you may find the most recently updated sites.
Gigablast also groups related web sites.
- All The Web
- AllTheWeb uses Yahoo!'s index to the web which they claim contains "billions" of pages. The advanced
search option allows word filtering and searching by language or by date. Note that on the results page, sponsored
listings are given before the search results. All the Web is owned by Overture.
- Alta Vista
- The advanced search option provides for Boolean
searching, and by date. There are separate searches for audio, video, images and news.
AltaVista search results are obtained from Yahoo!. AltaVista is owned by Overture.
- Ask
- Ask Jeeves has merged with Teoma and the result is this site.
- A9
- Amazon's new search engine. Your search will produce a list of web sites and a list of books (of, course). The
results list is by Windows Live.
- Lycos
- The Lycos web directory uses the Look Smart Directory.
Note that paid listings are presented first. Lycos may now also be using the Yahoo database.
- MSN Search
- The address is http://www.live.com/. Search the web, the news, or for images.
- Ms. Dewey
- If you think searching is really dull and boring, try searching with Ms. Dewey.
- Technorati
- Search for blogs
- Google Blog Search
- Search for blogs or search the web
- The Top 100 Alternative Search Engines
- An article by Charles S. Knight, January, 2007 which will give you some ideas of where else to search.
Top of Page
Table of Contents | Subject
Indexes | Portals | Search Engines | Kid Safe Sites | Meta-Search Engines
|
All-in-One Pages | Specialized Engines
and Indexes | International Search Sites |
Links to More Information
Please address any comments, additions, or corrections to Linda Bertland, school librarian,
Philadelphia, PA at info@sldirectory.com.
