Searching the Web and Internet
Tutorials
Tutorials and Learning Aids |
Search Engines & Directories | Subject Indexes & Guides | Reviews & Other Resources
Tutorials and Learning Aids
Welcome to the World
Wide Web! If you are just getting started, take a look at one or more of the
following guides:
- Mousercise
- These pages teach how to
use a computer mouse, using interactive pages to allow you to practice 'mousing
around.' A great site for the beginner computer user.
- New User Tutorial
- A tutorial designed to help people who have never used a computer before.
Concentrates on using the mouse and a few other basic skills. Provided the
The Library Network (TLN) Technology Committee. To begin using the tutorial,
press the "enter" or "return" key on your keyboard.
- Learning
the Computer Keyboard
- Click on parts of the keyboard to learn about the use of keys in that area.
Another great tutorial from the Central Kansas Library System.
- Learn2Type.com
- Miss taking that typing class in high school? This site offers free exercises
to help you master the skills of touch typing. Requires registration.
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- Learn the Net: An
Internet Guide and Tutorial
- This free site helps new users learn about the Web, starting with a section
on basic browser navigation and continuing with sections on Internet basics,
the Web, e-mail, and newsgroups. A weekly Web Tour highlights sites on a particular
topic, and the "Digging for Data" section helps teach successful use of search
engines. A glossary, learning games, and other features make this an impressive
place for Web newbies. Available in English, French, Spanish, German, and
Italian.
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Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial
- This site is an excellent tutorial for beginning web users, explaining
how to search for information,including effective strategies for using search
engines. Also gives a good introduction to the web and the use of the Netscape
browser. From the University of California at Berkeley.
- Choose the Best Search Engine for Your Information Need
- A short list of search types, with explanations of the best search strategies
for each type with appropriate links. Especially good for K-12 students. From
NoodleTools.
- Researching Companies
Online
- An excellent tutorial outlining the steps you should follow in undertaking
business research on the Internet, whether for investing, marketing, or job-searching.
Includes several links to free resources on the web.
- HTML: An Interactive
Tutorial for Beginners
- An easily navigated way to begin learning the intricacies of HTML (HyperText
Markup Language), the computer language used to create web pages.
- W3 Schools
- Free tutorials for website development, including courses in HTML, XML,
scripting, and other issues of design and usability. Includes examples and
quizzes.
- Web Developer's Virtual Library
- Another site devoted to free tutorials for website development, including
plug-ins, design and navigation, and multimedia and graphics.
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Search Engines & Directories
Search
Engines:
Search engines send
robots (also called spiders, web-bots, and other names) out to scan the web
for new sites on a regular basis. The results are ar chived into the search
engine's database, where they are sorted and retrieved by software responding
to the term(s) that you have put into the query box. Different search engines
navigate the web in different ways and extract information according to different
criteria, so it is helpful to be familiar with the techniques and abilities
of the search engine you are using. A few of the search engines (there are now
more than 60) are listed below, with major characteristics noted. For more detailed
information on any search engine, read the 'help' screens associated with that
engine.
- Google
- A very powerful
search engine (and search engine of choice for many of our librarians), Google
returns results to queries with relevancy rankings based on the number of
other important sites which point to them.
- Bing
- Newest entry in the search engine sweepstakes. From Microsoft.
- AltaVista
- Indexes every word on a page, and as a result provides a very large database
for searches. AltaVista also provides advanced searching capabilities which
include Boolean operators and several other search variables. It is possible
to search for documents in many languages other than English, as well as to
perform computer-generated translations (now hosted by Yahoo) from
English into French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish.
- AlltheWeb
- One of the largest of the newer search engines, AlltheWeb (formerly FastSearch) performs searches
very quickly but without some of the advanced features of other engines. Use
the drop-down menu to search for all of the words, any of the words,
or the exact phrase.
- Internet Searching Tools
- Links to more search engines, directories and metasearch engines, along
with web searching tutorials and other helpful links. From the Library at
Southern Oregon University.
Hints: When using any of the above
search engines to search for a phrase, put " " around the phrase, e.g.,
"national parks", or else the search engine will find matches for each individual
word. Use a plus sign in front of each word you wish included in the
result, e.g., +dogs +wild. Use a minus sign in front of each word that
you do not want to appear, e.g., +dogs +wild -pets.
Meta Search
Engines:
These powerhouses
visit multiple databases (more than one search engine or subject index) while
performing searches.
- Ask
- Uses natural language queries, e.g., it will respond to a question such
as: "Have the Red Sox ever won a World Series?" A separate Ask for Kids! is available also.
- DogPile
- Searches WWW, Usenet, FTP and newswires. Click the "Help with Syntax" link
to view search options.
- MetaCrawler
- Has "mini-crawler" and Power Search functions.
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Subject
Directories:
Subject directories
are databases of selected websites that have been organized into subject areas
by human indexers. You can do a search in the entire database or in a selected
subject area; many directories provide both options. Directories are most effective
when searching a broad topic with a range of possible sources.
- Yahoo!
- Probably the best-known hierarchically-organized directory, now a search engine and portal to news, shopping, free email, and more.
- Yahooligans
- The same principles as Yahoo! with a focus on young people's interests.
- Open Directory Project
- A comprehensive directory of the web compiled by volunteer editors with
expertise in various subject areas. Browse by category or use the search engine.
- About.com
- Individual guides to Internet
resources in selected subject areas are offered here. Formerly the Mining
Company.
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Subject Indexes & Guides:
These indexes are organized according to subject matter, and have been created
by librarians or other information professionals. Included sites or pages have
been evaluated according to specific criteria, including relevance, content,
authorship, ease of use, etc. Generally a description is provided for each site.
You can search the entire database or focus on a specific subject area.
-
- IPL2
- Thousands of carefully chosen and annotated links in various
categories with further subdivisions. Includes a search engine. The result of a merger of the Internet Public Library (IPL) and the Librarians' Internet Index (LII).
- Digital Librarian
- Maintained by a librarian in New York State, the Digital Librarian contains
an impressive number of sites in various subject categories. Very quick loading
too.
- KidsClick!
- An index to the World Wide Web chosen and annotated by librarians specifically
for children. Includes a search engine. The advanced search feature allows
searching by reading level and use of images. Another essential site from
Sunsite at UC Berkeley.
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Reviews and Other Resources:
Informative
resources to help with understanding new developments on the web, and for reviews
of current search engines, directories, web sites, etc.
-
- Scout Report
- An in-depth review of new websites, including both specialized and general-interest
links. You can request automatic e-mail delivery of the weekly editions.
- Search Engine Showdown: The
Users' Guide to Web Searching
- Compares "Features, Size & Strategies" of various search engines, along
with a miscellany of interesting information and tips for the serious Internet
researcher.
- Search Engine Watch
- Everything for the searcher! News, tips, reviews, lists of the major search
engines, and more.
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Springfield
Library
http://www.springfieldlibrary.org
220 State Street
Springfield MA 01103
413-263-6828
This page last updated:
March 13, 2010