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Category: Reference Center >> READY REFERENCE: >> Internet Subject Directories and Search Engines >> Search Strategies: Tips & Techniques
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Best Search Tools Chart
http://www.infopeople.org/search/chart.html
Infopeople provides an excellent chart comparing selected internet search engines, meta-search engines, and internet subject directories.
Among the searching criteria includes database, boolean logic, miscellaneous search options, etc.
Choose the Best Search for your Information Need
http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html
This NoodleTools chart provides an extensive list of information needs, and its corresponding search strategy. For example, if you need a site just for kids, advice from experts, or just need an answer to a quick fact, the chart will link you to a few sites which will address your specific need.
Search Engine Showdown: Search Engine Features Chart
http://searchengineshowdown.com/features
Greg Notess has set up this Search Engine Features Chart on his Search Engine Showdown site to compare features (Boolean logic, proximity, truncation, fields, etc) to popular search engines.
Thumbshots.com Ranking
http://ranking.thumbshots.com
"A great teaching tool for showing the need to use more than one search engine. Thumbshots Ranking is a fun way to learn about search engines and optimizing a site's ranking. Your ranking determines the amount of traffic you will likely get." For example, enter a search term and then choose two different search engines.
Virtual Chase
http://www.virtualchase.com/quality
Excellent source for evaluating the quality of information on the internet. Researchers should evaluate the quality of information appearing online or in print based on five criteria--scope of coverage, authority, objectivity, accuracy and timeliness. This guide defines the criteria, documents incidents of questionable, false or fraudulent information as reported in the news or trade literature, provides examples of Web sites that illustrate good or bad information, and suggests strategies that help you detect bad information.