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Phone:(425) 688-5137 Fax:(425) 688-5638 |
| The Medical Library | |
| Internet Search Tools |
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(are also
Search engines and directories can assist users in finding Internet sites of interest. A brief explanation of each of the Internet Search Tools is available by clicking on the specific column heading. Click here to Learn Specifics of Web Searching.
| General Search Engines | Medical Search Engines | Subject Directories | Meta - Search Tools | Search Tool Collections |
All the WEb |
HealthFinder | About.com | Clusty | Beaucoup |
| Google Google Scholar | Healthline | Librarians' Index | Dogpile | SearchEngine Colossus |
| Hakia | Health On The Net: | WWW Virtual Library | Mamma | |
| Scirus | MDChoice | Yahoo! | ||
| Government Information | Medical Matrix | Deep Web | ||
| Google US Government Search | OmniMedicalSearch.com | Medical Subject Directories | AcademicInfo | |
| USAsearch.gov | SearchMedica | Medweb | Resource Shelf | |
| WebMd.com |
A search engine relies on computer programs called spiders or robots
to crawl the World Wide Web and log the words on each page. With a search engine, you type keyword(s) that are
related to a topic into a search "box." The search engine then scans its database and returns a file
with links to websites containing the word or words specified. The downside of these databases is that they are
very large, so these search engines often return thousands of results. Without search strategies or techniques,
finding what you need can be quite frustrating and time consuming.
A subject directory as a catalog of "better" web sites that has been collected and organized by humans. Subject directories are often called subject "trees" because they start with a few main categories and then branch out into subcategories, topics, and subtopics. Since directories cover only a small fraction of the pages available on the World Wide Web, they are most effective when "hunting" for general information on popular or scholarly subjects. Remember, if you are looking for something quite specific, use a search engine.
Meta-search engines search several major engines at once. Because the major search engines often produce very different results, meta-search engines provide a quick way to determine which engines are retrieving the best match for your information need; allowing you to further concentrate your search using the search engine that is working best for you.
These sites provide access to a wide variety of search engines.
Learn Specifics of Web Searching
Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial from UC Berkeley provides you with a what it is, how to find it approach to searching.
Search Engine Showdown Greg Notess compares and evaluates Internet search engines from the searcher's perspective.
Search Engine Watch from Mecklermedia is a site that provides tips and information about searching the web.
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Last update: August 20, 2008