Subject Guide/Search Engines
Multi or Meta search
engines
Search engines
Subject guides or directories
Multi and Meta Search Engines
Multi or Meta search engines(sometimes
called Meta) search engines combine the
use a number of individual search engines to conduct a search and produce a
list of search results. They are a very efficient way of conducting an
exhaustive search; as they remove the need to conduct the same search on a
number of individual search engines to ensure the most information
available is found.
Examples of Multi search engines: Inference Find, Dogpile, Metacrawler,
Search.com
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Search
engines
Search engines use computer programs
called Spiders or Robots to search the Internet and gather information
which is compiled in the search engine's database. Most Search engines have
some type of advanced search facility available; enabling the user to
refine their searches through boolean logic,
searching on specific fields, limiting by date and language etc. Check the
searching tips for each website to ensure the best and most efficient
searching.
Examples of Search Engines: Alta Vista, Excite, Infoseek, Hot Bot,
Web Wombat, Northern Light
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Subject Guides or Directories
Subject Guides (sometimes called Subject
Directories) use human intervention to gather information from the Internet
and organise it into subject areas. These subject areas are broad to begin
with and become more specific as the user advances through them by following
the hyperlinks. This is called a hierarchical subject tree. Most subject
guides now include a free text search facility too, making the difference
between them and search engines less and less distinct.
Examples of Subject Guides or Directories
are: Yahoo !,
The Kangaroo Jumpsite
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