 This method of searching uses software programs that search the web and record information. These programs are called by many names spiders, robots, crawlers, or intelligent agents. They are moving throughout the web at all times, day and night placing information about web sites in database. Google.com, altavista. com and lycos. com are all examples of search engines.

 Directory- based searches use people to search the web for similar web sites they then place them in a directory. The most popular directory-based search engine on the web is From their home page you will see a list of categories. After you click on the category you think minformation you are looking for, another web page listing sub-categories appears. You can keep “drilling down” until you find a link to a page holding the exact information your are looking for. Directories often only record web site home pages, therefore their databases are smaller than those of index searches.

 Web searches only a cover around 20-40% of the web. Much of the content on the web is hidden through password protected sites, firewalls, Flash™ sites, databases, and other things that search engines can’t read.

 When Searching the Web, most people just go a search page and type in what they are looking for. This is the least efficient way to search. The best way to search is using Boolean Operatives. Boolean Operatives allow you to be more specific in your searches. In the table below, we have listed some of the Boolean Operatives and their function.