Lesson 2 : Internet Search Techniques

Please Remember that you will be using the results of this lesson for the next assignment.

Part #1: Choosing Keywords

Read the following search goals and select the words you would use as keywords in a search.

  1. What honeymoon cruises are available that visit Greek Islands?
  2. What did Abraham Lincoln say in the Gettysburg Address?
  3. Who was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1995?
  4. Who is the current mayor of Phoenix, Arizona?
  5. Where can I download IRS tax forms?

Part #2: Identifying Phrases

Read the search goals below and select phrases that you would include in a search. The examples used here are the same as in the Choosing Keywords exercise. This exercise reiterates the process of narrowing your search focus.

  1. What honeymoon cruises are available that visist Greek Islands?
  2. What did Abraham Lincoln say in the Gettysburg Address?
  3. Who was inducted in the baseball Hall of Fame in 1995?
  4. Who is the current mayor of Phoenix, Arizona?
  5. Where can I download IRS tax forms?

Part #3: Phrase Search versus Non-Phrase Searching

  1. Go to the AltaVista home page (http://altavista.com).
  2. Type honeymoon cruises in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned? (hint - scroll down the page about 20 lines or so and it will say We found _________ results:)
  3. Add quotes to the query to indicate that the phrase "honeymoon cruises" should be searched for. Click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  4. Type abraham lincoln´s gettysburg address in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  5. Add quotes to the query to indicate that the phrase "abraham lincoln´s gettysburg address" should be searched for. Click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  6. Try these same comparative searches at the Yahoo site (http://www.yahoo.com). Click on the Search button to begin your searches.

Part #4: Using Required and Prohibited Operators

  1. Go to the Lycos home page (http://www.lycos.com).
  2. Type the phrase "honeymoon cruises" in the search box and click on the Go Get It button.
    How many hits were returned?
  3. Return to the Lycos home page by clicking on the Back button.
  4. Instruct Lycos that you want to require the phrase "honeymoon cruises" and the word alaska by typing:
    +"honeymoon cruises" +alaska
  5. Click on the Go Get It button.
    How many hits were returned?
  6. Return to the Lycos home page by clicking on the Back button.
  7. Instruct Lycos that you want to exclude the phrase "holland america" by editing the search to read:
    +"honeymoon cruises" +alaska -"holland america"
  8. Click on the Go Get It button.
    How many hits were returned?
    Try these same comparative searches in the     Google search engine (http://www.google.com). Click on the Google Search button to begin your searches.

Part #5: Using Boolean Operators

  1. Go to the AltaVista home page (http://altavista.com).
    This is AltaVista´s Simple search page. You must go to the Advanced search page to use Boolean logic.
  2. Click on the Advanced Search link.
    This is AltaVista´s Advanced search page. Clicking on the Help link brings you to help specific to this page.
  3. Type ragtime in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  4. Type ragtime or "scott joplin" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  5. Type ragtime and "scott joplin" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  6. Type ragtime and not "scott joplin" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  7. Type ragtime near "scott joplin" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  8. Go to the HotBot home page (http://www.hotbot.com).
  9. Type ragtime in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  10. Choose Boolean Phrase from the Look For drop-down menu. You must be on the www.hotbot.com home page to see the drop-down menu!
    If you forget to make this selection, any Boolean phrases used in your search will merely be seen as additional search words and will not have the desired effect on your search results.
  11. Type ragtime or "scott joplin" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  12. Type ragtime and "scott joplin" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  13. Type ragtime and not "scott joplin" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?

Part #6: Using Parentheses

  1. Go to the AltaVista home page (http://altavista.com).
    This is AltaVista´s Simple search page. You must go to the Advanced search page to use Boolean logic.
  2. Click on the Advanced Search link.
    This is AltaVista´s Advanced search page.
  3. Type ragtime and "scott joplin" or "sheet music" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  4. Type ragtime and ("scott joplin" or "sheet music") in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  5. Type ragtime and (("scott joplin" or joseph lamb) and sheet music) in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?

Part #7: Using Wildcards

  1. Go to the AltaVista home page (http://altavista.com).
  2. Type +child +"health and safety" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  3. Edit the search to read: +child* +"health and safety" and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  4. Type +feminist +liberal in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  5. Edit the search to read: +femini* +liberal and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  6. Go to the Yahoo home page (http://www.yahoo.com).
  7. Type immunize in the search box and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?
  8. Edit the search to read: immuni* and click on the Search button.
    How many hits were returned?

Part #8: Field Searching

  1. Go to the Yahoo home page (http://www.yahoo.com).
  2. Type t:"heart disease" in the search box and click on the Search button.
    Examine your results, how many hits? Every page will have the phrase "heart disease" in its title.
  3. Search for just "heart disease". How many hits?
  4. Type u:dilbert in the search box and click on the Search button.
    Examine your results, how many hits? Every page will have dilbert in its URL.
  5. Search for just dilbert. How many hits?
  6. Go to the AltaVista home page (http://altavista.digital.com).
  7. Type image:elvis in the search box and click on the Search button.
    Examine your results, how many hits? Every page will have a picture of Elvis on it. (Keep in mind that Elvis may be somebody´s dog, and not necessarily Elvis Presley.)
  8. Search for just elvis. How many hits?
  9. Type link:whitehouse.gov in the search box and click on the Search button.
    Examine your results, how many hits? Every page will have a link to the Whitehouse on it.

Congratulations! - You have Completed Lesson 2.