How to Find Websites

A search engine is a tool enabling users to locate information on the World Wide Web. Search engines use keywords entered by users to "search" for Websites containing the information sought and return a list of the documents or Web pages where the keywords are found.

The web changes constantly -- as do search engines. A search engine that's popular and impressive one month may be surpassed the next. You can try to monitor the emergence and disappearance of search engines yourself using websites like www.searchenginewatch.com or www.searchengineshowdown.com.

Currently, we recommend:

A meta-search engine transmits your search simultaneously to several individual search engines (such as Google and altavista) and their databases of web pages. Within a few seconds, you get back results from all the search engines queried. Meta-search engines do not own a database of webpages; they send your search terms to the databases maintained by search engine companies.

Currently we recommend the following meta-search engines:

Some individuals prefer using mets-search engines -- others prefer search engines. Try out both kinds, find out what type of results you get, and make the decision for yourself.

Additional Web search tools, internet subject directories, organize the sites they index into categories and subcategories (such as Arts and Humanities and Music, respectively). After browsing the categories and subcategories, selection of a subcategory results in a listing of several potential sources put together by editors who choose, evaluate, and index the sites that go inot the resource's database. So, unlike search engines and meta-search engines, subject directories are compiled by humans. Many directories also lists references such as almanacs, calenders, and provide links to electronic books and newspapers.

Two general subject directories that may be helpful to you are the Librarians Index to the Internet (lii.org) and the Internet Public Library (ipl.org) sponsored by the School of Information at the University of Michigan. Click below to access these sites.

While the subject directories above are general directories, there also exist a number of specialized directories focusing on specific issues (such as women's issues) or areas (such as classical music). Ask your instructor or a librarian if they know of a good subject directory for your topic or conduct a general web search for directories on your topic. General directories may also provide links to specialized directories through their subcategory listing of resources.