Not all "search engines" are equal. Some of what we often call "search engines" are actually subject indexes. Search indexes use software programs called "spiders" or "robots" to crawl all over the Web, following links and indexing sites in the search engine's database. Search engines are thorough and comprehensive, so your search will usually return a large number of returns. Search engines also allow you greater flexibility in combining search terms.
Subject indexes are created by people rather than software programs. The people who index sites for a subject index are able to evaluate the quality of the site and choose whether or not to add it to the database. Therefore, you may get fewer returns to your search query, but you might also spend less time filtering through useless sites.
Whether you use a search engine or a subject index, software and people both take time to catalog the always-changing, always-expanding plethora of data on the Web, and different search engines or indexes may yield vastly different search results. Try out several different search engines and/or indexes for each query. Here are just a few of the many general search engines and subject indexes that you may find useful:
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Use a search engine for comprehensive, specific searches or for combining search terms.
Dogpile HotBot Lycos Metacrawler |
Use a subject index when you're surfing for general information or when you're less certain about the specific information you're looking for.
LookSmart About InfoMine LincOn |
The Web is easy and provides almost instant access vast amounts of information. It's an awesome resource, but it's not the only--and sometimes not the best--place to find sources. Before Here are some reasons why you might need to look elsewhere:
- Sometimes, professors require a combination of print and online sources.
- Web pages are not always reliable. Before an article is printed in an academic journal, that article goes through a process called peer review. Peer review requires that several scholars preview the article and assure the journal publisher that it is accurate and reliable before the journal publishes the article. By contrast, anyone can put up a Web page--regardless of whether or not he knows anything about the subject! For this reason, it's a good idea to verify your Web sources with print sources and/or to evaluate the reliability of your Web sources.
- Search Tips Some search databases are specific to a certain field of study. If you're looking for academic content rather than just general information, these may give you better results.
Searching Databases | Searching the Library Online
How to Begin | Finding Sources | Taking Research Notes | Citing and Documenting Sources