This document discusses different types of search engines that can be used for research on the internet. It begins by explaining the benefits of using the internet for researching modern or controversial topics. It then discusses regular search engines like Google and Yahoo and how they differ from metasearch engines, which search multiple engines at once. The document also explores specialized search engines like Clusty, which groups results by category, and Answers.com, which allows question-based searches. Finally, it mentions online encyclopedias and school resource sites as other helpful websites for research.

1. Wading through the Web
Conducting Research on the
Internet

2. Wading through the Web
General Introduction
This presentation will teach you about:
 Different types of search engines
 How to search on the Internet
 How to cite your sources

3. Wading through the Web
General Introduction

4. Wading through the Web
General Introduction
When might using the Internet be better
than using a traditional text?
Modern or contemporary topics – The
Internet has more up-to-date information
on current events.
Controversial topics – The Internet can
give you a lot of different opinions on one
topic. It can help you research a topic
from different perspectives.

5. Wading through the Web
Different Types of Search Engines
 A search engine is a program that allows you to
search the Internet for information. You can find
many different search engines on the Internet.
 The most popular search engines are Google
and Yahoo.
 But there are many other excellent search
engines that you may not have heard of.
 Let’s look at some of those different search
engines.

6. Wading through the Web
Different Types of Search Engines
Regular Search Engines vs. Metasearch Engines
A regular search engine, like Google or Yahoo, searches the Internet
based on a given search term.
 For example, typing “Vasco da Gama” into Google will give you
3,220,000 hits or sites with information.
 Type the same search term into Yahoo, and you get 9,500,000 hits.
Try it! Go to Google and type in “Vasco da Gama.” Look at the
sites that come up. Click on the first 2 or 3. Do they have good
information? Now do the same in Yahoo. What differences do
you notice?

7. Wading through the Web
Different Types of Search Engines
Why do Google and Yahoo display different
sites for the same word?
 They use different methods, called
algorithms, to search the Internet. Many
of the sites will be the same, but some will
differ.
A Metasearch engine can streamline your
search, because it searches with several
engines.

8. Wading through the Web
Different Types of Search Engines
Let’s try to use a Metasearch engine to find
information on “Vasco da Gama.”
 Cacti.com is a metasearch engine that searches
Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask.com all at once.
 Try it – Type in “Vasco da Gama at the
Cacti.com site. The results are sorted by search
engine. You can look at results by search
engines or in combination.
 How might a metasearch engine like this one be
more helpful than a regular search engine?

9. Wading through the Web
Different Types of Search Engines
Other types of search engines can also be helpful.
Let’s look at three different ones that can help
you get better information.
Clusty (formerly known as Vivisimo) groups search
results by category.
Try it – go to Clusty and type in “Vasco da Gama”.
Notice the categories on the left-hand side of the
page. You can use the categories to narrow
your search. List the categories you might use
to write a report on the life and accomplishments
of Vasco da Gama.

10. Wading through the Web
Different Types of Search Engines
Answers.com (formerly known as Brainboost)
allows you to type in a question rather than a
search term. For example, if you wanted to know
when Vasco da Gama reached India, you could
ask a specific question and get more detailed
information.
Try it – Go to Answers.com and type “when did
Vasco da Gama reach India?”
How does the information that you get differ from
the other search engines? What else do you
notice about the left hand side of the page (and
the right hand side as well)?

11. Wading through the Web
Other Helpful Websites
Other websites can provide good, refereed
information for research projects.
 On-line Encyclopedias can help. Try one of
these: Encyclopedia Britannica or Encarta
 School resource information is available at the
TTSP Media Wiki. For these and other search
engines, see Searching the Internet. For other
resources, see Research Tools for Students.