Slide No. 1

Searching the Web

Search engines and directoriesSearch engines and directories Locating these resourcesLocating these resources

Using these resourcesUsing these resources Interpreting resultsInterpreting results

Locating specific text on a Web pageLocating specific text on a Web page ExtrasExtras

Slide No. 2

Challenge

The Web contains millions of pages on The Web contains millions of pages on just about any topic.just about any topic.

Hundreds of new pages appear each Hundreds of new pages appear each dayday

Need to sift through informationNeed to sift through information Use the Web tools call search engines Use the Web tools call search engines

and directoriesand directories

Slide No. 3

Search Engines and Directories

Are actually Web pages Are actually Web pages been designed for helping you find what been designed for helping you find what

your looking foryour looking for A search engine uses a bottom-up A search engine uses a bottom-up

strategystrategy A directory uses a top-down approachA directory uses a top-down approach A directory is also called a navigational A directory is also called a navigational

guideguide

Slide No. 4

Search Engines

Rely on you to provide the search Rely on you to provide the search parametersparameters

begin with a specific word or phrasebegin with a specific word or phrase

Slide No. 5

New Problem for Search Engines

Now many pages are created Now many pages are created dynamically – how can you catalog dynamically – how can you catalog these pagesthese pages

All the new multimedia formats and All the new multimedia formats and cataloging thesecataloging these

Slide No. 6

Directories

Provide a number of topics from which Provide a number of topics from which to choose.to choose.

Select a top-level category and work Select a top-level category and work through sub-menus until you find your through sub-menus until you find your specific requirementsspecific requirements

Great many directories, some limited to Great many directories, some limited to a particular topic, some cover the entire a particular topic, some cover the entire InternetInternet

Slide No. 7

Finding Search Engines

Click the flashlight on the browser’s tool Click the flashlight on the browser’s tool barbar

In Netscape this page is called the In Netscape this page is called the Netscape Net Search pageNetscape Net Search page

There are a number of search services There are a number of search services listed on this pagelisted on this page

Slide No. 8

Slide No. 9

Using the Search Engines

You can perform a search directly from You can perform a search directly from the Net Search page using any of the the Net Search page using any of the search services display on the tabs.search services display on the tabs.

Alternatively, you can jump directly to Alternatively, you can jump directly to the home page of any of these services the home page of any of these services using the links provided by Netscapeusing the links provided by Netscape

Slide No. 10

Using Infoseek

Most search engines are functionally Most search engines are functionally very similar, so once you learned to use very similar, so once you learned to use one, learning others will be a easy.one, learning others will be a easy.

Most search engines provide a tutorial. Most search engines provide a tutorial. Infoseek’ s page has a hyperlink Tips Infoseek’ s page has a hyperlink Tips that will help with the syntax used by that will help with the syntax used by Infoseek.Infoseek.

Slide No. 11

Searching Example

Search for job opportunities in your fieldSearch for job opportunities in your field Typed Typed employmentemployment in the Infoseek field in the Infoseek field

on the Net Search page.on the Net Search page. Hit the Seek buttonHit the Seek button Searches for the word “employment” Searches for the word “employment”

among the Web pages currently indexed among the Web pages currently indexed in its database (in its database (this changesthis changes daily)daily)

Slide No. 12

Searching Example

Generally, the header, description, and Generally, the header, description, and body of documents are searched.body of documents are searched.

Different search engines perform the Different search engines perform the searches differently.searches differently.

Searches can result in hundreds or Searches can result in hundreds or hundreds of thousand of “hits”.hundreds of thousand of “hits”.

Because Because employment employment is a fairly is a fairly common word - ~ 400,000 matchescommon word - ~ 400,000 matches

Slide No. 13

Searching Example

The results page displays the first ten The results page displays the first ten documents on that list.documents on that list.

A text link near the top and bottom of A text link near the top and bottom of search results pages that allows you search results pages that allows you view the next ten (or the previous ten).view the next ten (or the previous ten).

Percentage-based relevance ranking Percentage-based relevance ranking beside each hit.beside each hit.

Slide No. 14

Smart Searches

Use more search wordsUse more search words Use quotes to enclose phrasesUse quotes to enclose phrases Capitalize names and titlesCapitalize names and titles Exclude wordsExclude words Learn basic BooleanLearn basic Boolean

Slide No. 15

Use More Search Words

Say you wanted pictures of JupiterSay you wanted pictures of Jupiter then your search words should at least then your search words should at least

include pictures and Jupiterinclude pictures and Jupiter use:use: Jupiter AND planets AND picturesJupiter AND planets AND pictures (since Jupiter was also a Roman god (since Jupiter was also a Roman god

and want to eliminate these pages)and want to eliminate these pages)

Slide No. 16

Use Quotes to Enclose Phrases

When you are searching for a phrase When you are searching for a phrase such as solar system, enclose the entire such as solar system, enclose the entire phrase in double (not single) quotation phrase in double (not single) quotation marks.marks.

Forces the engine to find words Forces the engine to find words adjacent to each other.adjacent to each other.

Slide No. 17

Capitalize Names and Titles

When you are searching for people and When you are searching for people and places or titles of movies or books, places or titles of movies or books, capitalize them.capitalize them.

Most search engines interpret capital Most search engines interpret capital letters as a request for an exact case letters as a request for an exact case match. Other wise treated like any group match. Other wise treated like any group of words. - rock hudson would find rock of words. - rock hudson would find rock climbing, rock music, Hudson river, etc.climbing, rock music, Hudson river, etc.

Slide No. 18

Exclude Words

You can exclude a word from a query You can exclude a word from a query with a - (minus) sign or NOT command.with a - (minus) sign or NOT command.

A query such as cats NOT dogs, A query such as cats NOT dogs, ignores pages where both animals are ignores pages where both animals are mentioned.mentioned.

Slide No. 19

Learn Basic Boolean

A Boolean search is a query with A Boolean search is a query with multiple words separated by AND, OR multiple words separated by AND, OR and NOT.and NOT.

When entering searching such as When entering searching such as medieval superstitionmedieval superstition, actually creating , actually creating a Boolean query, since most engines a Boolean query, since most engines invisibly add the OR operator as they invisibly add the OR operator as they comb their databasescomb their databases

Slide No. 20

Learn Basic Boolean

OR returns pages with either of the OR returns pages with either of the keywordskeywords

And returns only those pages that And returns only those pages that include both keywordsinclude both keywords

Not returns those pages that does not Not returns those pages that does not include the keywordinclude the keyword

Slide No. 21

A Directory Example

Use ExciteUse Excite Excite qualifies as both a search engine Excite qualifies as both a search engine

and directory (so is Infoseek)and directory (so is Infoseek) looking for job opportunitieslooking for job opportunities Select Select BusinessBusiness topic topic Select Select JobsJobs from Business subtopics from Business subtopics Select Select Job BanksJob Banks from Jobs subtopics from Jobs subtopics

Slide No. 22

Searching for Text on a Web Page

After a search and following several After a search and following several links, end up with screens full of links, end up with screens full of informationinformation

You can scroll through the entire page You can scroll through the entire page and skim the text or you can use the and skim the text or you can use the find tool.find tool.

Slide No. 23

Using Find

Click Find button (binoculars) on the browser’s Click Find button (binoculars) on the browser’s toolbar or on the Edit menutoolbar or on the Edit menu

Type the word or phrase in the Find what text Type the word or phrase in the Find what text box.box.

Click the Down radio button to search the Click the Down radio button to search the document from the insertion point to the end of document from the insertion point to the end of the document.the document.

Click the Find Next for moreClick the Find Next for more Click the Cancel to close the dialog boxClick the Cancel to close the dialog box

Slide No. 24

Using the History Log

Netscape tracks the URL of every Web Netscape tracks the URL of every Web page you visit on the Go menu.page you visit on the Go menu.

The history log is a list of sites that you The history log is a list of sites that you have visited since launching Netscape.have visited since launching Netscape.

From the history log you can jump to a From the history log you can jump to a visited URL.visited URL.

Easier than clicking the Back buttonEasier than clicking the Back button

Slide No. 25

Other “Focused” Searches

Lycos’ PeopleFindLycos’ PeopleFind Inside of PeopleFind, Reverse Find,Inside of PeopleFind, Reverse Find, enter a phone number, tells you who it enter a phone number, tells you who it

belongs tobelongs to

Slide No. 26

Generated and Human Lists

Those lists of massive matches are Those lists of massive matches are normally generated by a computer normally generated by a computer program. A program goes through the program. A program goes through the Web and determines if the words in Web and determines if the words in your search are on a Web page.your search are on a Web page.

Yahoo works differentlyYahoo works differently

Slide No. 27

Yahoo Index

Every Web page which is included in Every Web page which is included in the Yahoo index is added by a the Yahoo index is added by a human.human.

Each Web pages is humanly read and Each Web pages is humanly read and classified under a category. classified under a category.

Thus Yahoo search will be more Thus Yahoo search will be more discriminating but also incomplete in discriminating but also incomplete in that the newest pages are probably not that the newest pages are probably not classified yet. classified yet.

Slide No. 28

Questions