This document provides an overview of search engines and how they work. It discusses the differences between browsers and search engines, and the key components of search engines like crawlers and indexing programs. It notes that only a small percentage of online information is indexed by search engines. The document then discusses specific issues with search engines like misses, lack of quality control, and restricted access to the invisible or deep web. It provides details on using Google, including its dominance, automated process, and special features. Finally, it discusses other types of search engines and rules for effective search engine use.

1. Search Engines
Athens State University Library

2. Browser VS. Search Engine
• Browser
• interface software program
between the Internet and the
user
• Search Engine
• employs a search mechanism to
explore the Net via algorithm
• retrieves information based on
key words used in the web page
• Components
• Crawler
• Indexing Program
• Retrieval Engine

3. Potential Issues with Search Engines
Only 20% of 4% of
all information on
the web is indexed
in Search Engines!
96% of all
information on the
web is access
restricted!

4. Issues with Search Engines
• Misses = a search might not find new sites or sites that have
changed their URL, since the search engines rely a lot on their
stored index databases.
• no selection of materials based upon quality
• no guarantee of archiving and preservation
• Invisible Web/Deep Web = those areas that do not allow free
public access. The owners of a domain name can block the search
engine from making materials from that domain available to the
public. These sites may require authentication or registration in
order to access content.
• Eg: ASU Library’s online journal and ebook access

5. Google
1. Google handles over 75% of the search load for the entire
world!! (Google was not launched until 1998)
2. Entire search process is automated (No human input)
3. Hits in Google are ranked
4. Often (usually), the first few hits are actually commercially
placed in front. They are often NOT the best sites for what you
are seeking, and they are not prioritized like the “real” links are.

6. Google Advanced Search page
Get to Advanced Search by clicking Settings in the lower right corner. It’s the second
link from the top.

7. Google’s standard default is to “and” all words together. An “or” search can be created by
entering terms in the “any of these words” search area. There are also options for searching
by exact phrase, and for eliminating unwanted words. You can specify language and file type,
as well as specify a particular web site or domain (“.edu,” for example) to search within.

8. Special Features
Click the upper right icon that looks like little squares to get to the
added features.

9. Google Translate
• Linked from the special features box, bottom middle icon.
• Here you can translate text from one language to another.

10. Google Scholar
https://scholar.google.com
• Links some books and scholarly literature available
• Access to most literature not available in full-text because of copyright
• Some publishers have not signed on to have their content indexed by Google

11. Google Scholar Results
• Not all results will
be full-text, but
full-text items can
be identified as
[pdf] on the right
side of the screen.
Click on that [pdf]
link—not the title
of the article—for
accessing full-text.

12. Beyond Google

13. Types of Search Engines
• Directory
• place information in hierarchical categories or menus; results are
selected by human editors; editors assign descriptors for classification
and a brief summary (examples: Yahoo Directory; Open Directory)
• Keyword
• relevant web pages retrieved by computer; much larger database than in
directory search engines; no human editing or selection of results
(examples: Google, Bing)
• Meta
• searches several search engines simultaneously; may not be able to
utilize the more sophisticated search features (examples: Kayak, iBoogie)

14. Some of My Favorite Search Engines
• Ask - http://uk.ask.com/
• ExaLead - http://www.exalead.com/search/
• iBoogie - http://iboogie.com
• iSEEK - http://www.iseek.com
• PicSearch - http://www.picsearch.com
• Wolfram Alpha – https://www.wolframalpha.com
• Yippy - https://www.yippy.com

15. Rules to Follow When Using an Internet
Search Engine
• Read the FAQs or “Help” section
• Identify basic concepts to construct search terms
• Use specific search terms
• Follow basic searching techniques (Boolean operators, phrases in
quotation marks, etc.)
• Place most important search term first in the search statement
• Consider using functions on Advanced Search page to limit results
• Consider synonyms or alternate terms, and the use of truncation
or wild card characters, to expand results

16. Other Internet Sources
• Wikkis
• Moderated webpage that gives
users the ability to edit.
• Designed to be self-policing
• Should include references
• If not the DON’T USE
• Good place to start if you know
nothing about your topic.
• Blogs
• Individual writes whatever they
feel like…
• Heavily biased
• No peer review
• Many are anonymous
• Used to promote a particular
point of view or political agenda
• It is usually best to stay away
from blogs when doing research.

17. Internet Archive
www.archive.org