How to...improve on search results

Teaching Pre K-8, Nov/Dec 1997 by Lindroth, Linda

Last month we explored the different search engines on the Internet and how to determine which to use. This month we will continue our look at search tools, but the focus will be on tips and tricks for improving our search results.

Knowing the way a URL is constructed can be a help in finding major sites or in relocating sites that may have moved.

The structure of a URL:

1 The first item in a URL specifies the protocol to be used in retrieving the document.

2 The second item in a URL specifies the domain name server (DNS) which stores the web site or file. The domain name for any computer on the Internet must be unique: DNS=computer name.organization name.extension

3 The third item in a URL specifies the directory or folder on the server that contains the information.

Large commercial companies use the format www.company.com and search engines use www.search name. com. If you are using Netscape Navigator and the URL is http:// or http://www you can leave this off when you enter an address in the location or open box. If the DNS is www.company.com you only have to type the company name in the location or open box. If you type in IBM or Compaq, for instance, it will take you to the appropriate home page.

When looking for a search tool, type in the name of the search tool. For example: typing "yahoo" in the location box will take you to the Yahoo home page. This will work with any site ending with .com using Netscape Navigator.

What do you do when an address for a site no longer works? Knowing this, you can sometimes find the new address for a site that has moved by backing up and just going to the main DNS page in the old address (type only the part of the address before the first (formula omitted). This will take you to the main home page and allow you to look for the link you are trying to find. If you still can't find the site, e-mail the webmaster for the site and ask its new location. You can also go to one of the search engines and type in the title of the site you're looking for to see if it is listed. This works when the site moves to a new DNS, but keeps the same title.

The following are some general tips and tricks for improving search results:

1. Use the results from a general search of Yahoo to find related topics for keyword searches on the other search engines.

2. Use both an engine and an index to make sure you get all possible hits. A hit is a web site containing your keywords.

3. Use multiple search engines since each brings back different results.

4. Use quotation marks to indicate a keyword search of all words as a phrase: "96 Presidential Election."

5. Use initial capital letters to indicate proper nouns: George Washington

6. Use the boolean term "and" to limit results: dinosaur and carnivore to indicate both words must appear.

7. Use the boolean term "or" to broaden results: whale or cetacean to indicate either word can appear.

8. Use the boolean term "not" to prevent results: New York not city to indicate words not to appear.

9. You can use the company or web page title as your keyword.

For example, when I was trying to find web links for dinosaur activities for the book Dinosaur Worlds by Don Lessem (Boyds Mills Press, 1996) I was looking for activities about Pangaea and the changing of the continents. The keyword dinosaur gave too broad a result and using the keywords "Pangaea and dinosaurs," still didn't find what I wanted. One of the hits I did get, however, was on plate tectonics but not dinosaurs. I typed in "dinosaurs" and "plate tectonics" and found the perfect site!

There are a number of printed material resources with search tool guidelines. Classroom Connect's Internet Driver's License is a comprehensive tutorial for learning to use Internet tools (800-638-1639). Forest Technologies has a book, Teacher's RoadMap to the Internet, and a companion book, Student's RoadMap to the Intemet, (800544-3356). Online help can be found by going to SEARCH ENGINE WATCH at: http://searchenginewatch.com