San Diego Mesa College Library     Search the Internet
	Library Home Library Catalog Databases Internet LRC College Home

Section I. Section II. Links to Internet Search Tools Internet Searching Tips & Links to Search Tutorials/Guides Section I: Internet Search Tools In this section you will find links to a sampling of popular Internet search tools. The search services we have selected include: basic keyword search engines search engine services that offer both keyword searching and browsable subject directory listings metasearch engines (also known as multi-engine searchers) Links to Internet Search Services . . . Keyword Search Engines + Browsable Subject Directories These keyword search engines allow you to find information on the Internet by typing in "keywords" that represent your topic(s) of interest. With many of the search services, you also have the option to browse through lists of Internet resources grouped by subject categories. The Yahoo! search service offers one of the most well-known and frequently used subject directories. AllTheWeb AltaVista Ask.com Excite Google Grokker Lycos MSN Search Yahoo Meta-Search Engines Metasearchers allow you to run a search on multiple search engines from a single search screen. The searches are run simultaneously or in quick succession. Many of the search engines introduced above can also be searched via these meta-search interfaces. Clusty Dogpile Ixquick SurfWax Top of the page Section II: Searching Tips / Guides Most Internet search engines offer online instructions or help menus to assist searchers. These instructions and search tips are usually accessible from the search engine's initial search screen. (You may also scroll down to the table below for direct access to the online instructions provided by the search engines introduced in Section I.) Because each search service is unique (both in terms of the Web resources it provides access to and the searching techniques it requires), we recommend that you experiment with the various search engines. Identify your favorites and then acquaint yourself with the specific search techniques necessary to obtain the best results. Once you have mastered the search protocol for one engine, keep in mind that the same searching techniques may not work equally well with another engine. The differences between the various search engines can have a big impact on your search results. To learn more about the different search engines and their searching idiosyncracies, you may also find it helpful to consult one or more of the following search guides: A Sampling of Internet Search Guides Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial The Teaching Library of the University of California, Berkeley, makes the content of its Internet workshops available to the public via this web site. The tutorial offers excellent background information for Net searchers, including: Important Things to Know Before You Begin Searching Types of Search Tools The "Best" Search Engines Googling to the Max Meta-Search Engines InfoPeople: Search Tools Search Engine Guide Search Engine Showdown: The User's Guide to Web Searching Search Engine Watch: Web Searching Tips Direct Links to Online Instructions Offered by the Search Engine Services AllTheWeb Help AltaVista Help Ask.com Help Excite Help Google Help Grokker Help Lycos Help MSN Search Help Yahoo Search Help Top of the page Updated November 20, 2006