Finding Information on the Internet: Tools for Searching on the Web

Survival Skills for Coastal Resource Managers

Finding Information on the Internet

Tools for searching on the Web

There are four types of tools used for searching the Internet for information: hierarchical indexes, search engines, metasearch engines, and on-line databases. All four can be useful to you, but each one can provide different results for the same search.

Note: Clicking the links below will open a new browser window.

hierarchical index - sites sorted by people

Sites are grouped by categories and subcategories
Sites are sorted and categorized by people
Good for when subject is broad to find a smaller amount of relevant information
Yahoo! and DMOZ are two popular indexes

search engine spiders visit sites and catalog them automatically

Automated software tools called spiders (or robots) automatically index and categorized Web pages
Most search engines also permit site owners to request the inclusion of their site
Good for when your subject is narrow or you have specific keywords
Google, Altavista, Hotbot, and Lycos are popular search engines

metasearch engines search other search engines

Search other search engines and compile or sort the results
Good for when you want to search a larger portion of the Internet or if you have an "obscure" topic
Not very sophisticated or applicable for advanced, complex searches
Dogpile and Mamma are two of the better metasearchers

specialized databases have specific information - often are subscription-based

Collection of information on specific topic in searchable form
Some are fee-based
Useful for accessing very targeted information, but may be limited in scope
ISI is a relevant on-line database for coastal resource management. Northern Light is another option for more generalized material

Coastal Services Center

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Finding Information on the Internet

Tools for searching on the Web