New communication techniques for diplomats: the use of Internet - by Stefano Baldi

Gathering Information

Developing New skills

• The right use of Search Engines

The right use of Search Engines

There are two main kinds of search services commonly used on the Web: the index, and the directory or subject guide. One way to understand the differences between these two kinds of engines is to think of web sites as books. Indexes will catalogue every word in every book iexamined, and will list for you each page that contains word(s) you're looking for. Directories and Subject Guides take the overall subject matter of the books they examine at and list the front covers of the book which match your word(s).

Yahoo! and Magellan are two well known hierarchical directories of web page subjects. Each reference is entered and updated by a person manually, placing each web address in a certain section much like a telephone company's Yellow Page directory.

• Too many Search Engines !
  There are hundreds of search tools out there on top of big and popular ones there are specific search services for special interests. Some search email, addresses or phone numbers, or maybe newsgroups only.

• Search Engines sizes
  None of the search engines index everything on the web. No search engine can claim to have a perfect record of everything out there. A good search engine should gather more than a few pages from each web site it visits. The more pages it gathers, the more likely it will have comprehensive index of the web. It should also also make regular visits to the web sites in its index. This keeps the index fresh.
  » See document: http://www.searchenginewatch.com/reports/sizes.html
   
• .. Better select the most appropriate
  Table - Main search engines

  Search engines	URL address	Characteristics
  Altavista	http://www.altavista.com	It is one of the most recent but is the best for scope, speed and effectiveness. Every day it receives something like two million enquires.
  Yahoo	http://www.yahoo.com	Yahoo is both an index and a search engine. The main page allows one to use different search keys; in the index there is also a long list of available subjects. Yahoo is without doubt an excellent site.
  Excite	http://www.excite.com	It limits the number of answers and allows the structuring per site of the results of the search.
  Hot Bot	http://www.hotbot.com	This is one of the most accurate engines as it allows the construction of complex enquiries in an easy way. Limitation in the execution of the search is also possible.
  Lycos	http://www.lycos.com	Lycos is defined as the catalogue of the Internet with its 20 million references which cover about 90% of the Web. It is divided into two sections: the first is for searches, the second is an index of some interesting sites.
  Infoseek	http://www.infoseek.com	Both specific and general enquiries are allowed and the field of research may be progressively refined. It also contains a section of geographical maps.

  
  

  If what you are looking for can not be found amongst the first 20 or 30 sites indicated, it would be better to change the type of search or to change the search engine. It is not possible to suggest which search engine should be used first, as such a search is strictly connected to the type of research and to the needs of the individual. However, it is worth beginning with Altavista, HotBot and Excite.
  » See document: http://www.searchenginewatch.com/webmasters/features.html
   

• The Virtual Library
  » See document: http://vlib.org/Overview.html
   

Please send your comments to Stefano Baldi.
This document was updated 07/10/98
© 1998 Stefano Baldi