Nan Boothby's Computer 1-on-1

1. There are many search engines available to you on internet. Some of the most frequently used are listed below:

www.google.ca recently voted best search engine by internet users and researchers

www.yahoo.ca contains easy to use subject directory for searches

www.altavista.ca has highest Canadian content; has one of the largest search engines and can search for web pages in many different languages

www.ask.com performs a search based on your question such as “How many people live in Alberta?” Also known as the “Ask Jeeves” search engine.

2. If you don’t find results with one search engine, switch to another or use multiple search engines: www.dogpile.com or www.webcrawler.com or www.metacrawler.com . Results are often ranked according to how well they match your query so usually the first two or three pages are the most relevant.

3. If you still aren’t getting the desired results, try different search words, use synonyms or try using a broader phrase.

4. Since no person or organization monitors the web and anyone can enter information, you may be exposed to inappropriate sites and unreliable sources of information.

5. Many web sites are developed by companies which make a profit by selling space to advertisers. In addition, some businesses or organizations may charge for access to information on their websites so not everything is available to you free of charge.

6. Be specific as possible in selecting the words used for a search. Use 2 to 4 words related to the most important aspect of the search and enter the most important words first.

7. Use lower case letters unless proper nouns are a part of your keywords for a search.

8. Check your spelling and typing for accuracy.

9. If you know the address or URL for a web site, you can type it directly into the address bar and press the enter key. The computer will take you to that site.

10. Always type in the address exactly as shown and there should be no spaces in the address.