Master of Counselling
Finding Internet Resources

The World's Wild "Web"

For most of us the World Wide Web represents one of our main on-ramps to the Internet, which is a distributed worldwide network of computer networks. The Web is a flexible, omnipresent browser-based platform for sharing a vast array of information -- open access and subscription-based, authoritative and trivial -- all mixed together in a wild free-for-all that grows at an exponential rate. In this section we look at some ways to find freely available Web information that go beyond simple keyword searching, or "Googling".

  • Search Engines

    Image notes Although most of us likely use only one or two favourite search engines on a regular basis, there is in fact a plethora of Web search engines to choose from. Some are general purpose tools, while many others are specialized tools designed for specific fields or audiences. Naturally some are better than others for finding scholarly information.

    Just like examining the Help pages for library catalogues and journal indexes/databases, sometimes taking a few minutes to learn how a particular search engine works can save you some searching time and spare you frustration. Throwing in one or two words with "and" in between them may not produce the best results. Your search will almost always retrieve *something,* but those items may not have much to do with the topic you had in mind.

    It is good practice to look for an "advanced" option which offered by many Web search engines and other search tools. For example, compare the Keyword search option in the middle of the Library's homepage to the Advanced Keyword option just under the Keyword search box. "Advanced" search options usually enable you to state your search terms and search limiters more precisely than is possible in a plain keyword search.

    If you are fond of Google, consider using Google Scholar when you are searching for scholarly information. You should access Google Scholar from the Library's databases listing because this link (which you can bookmark) automatically compares your search results to the Library's holdings. This will help you determine whether the full text of relevant articles and documents are available through "Find it @ the U of Lethbridge" links which perform a function similar to that of the button in the Library's licensed indexes and databases. Take a few minutes to peruse the Google Scholar main search page. Can you find a link to information on how Google Scholar works? Is there an "advanced" search option? In what ways can you limit a search?

  • Directories

    While many people are at least somewhat familiar with search engines, directories tend to be less well known. They represent another type of tool for finding information on the Web. A search engine retrieves data from any websites indexed using data gathered periodically by its crawler, whereas a directory categorizes links to websites based on various criteria such as subject, audience, geographic location, and publication format. Directories tend to be compiled by humans rather than computer programs, which may improve the relevance of information you find. Here are some Web directories that are fairly well known:

  • Practice Exercise

    Choose a specific topic and find Web resources using 2 search engines and 1 directory from the examples listed immediately above. Compare your experiences using the two different types of Web search tools. You may find that they locate different types of information, some reliable than others. To help you some more reliable than others. To help you distinguish between credible and unreliable sources, see the section of this tutorial on evaluating.

    Discussion Questions

    1. What is the basic difference between search engines and directories?
    2. How does the "advanced search" option assist you in narrowing your search?
    3. Compare the performance of your favorite search engine with another search engine you have not used before. Which search engine produced the best results, and why?

    Additional Sources of Guidance

    If you are a novice searcher, you may find tutorials on Web searching prepared by other libraries to be helpful. Here are two examples:

Maintained by Rumi Graham

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