Internet Searching

Search Engines vs. Directories: FYI - Here's the scoop on these two online search tools. Search engines are created by computer programs "crawling" the web in search for keywords. Google is an example of a search engine. Directories, such as Yahoo! are lists of sites that have been collected and complied by humans. Take a look at Search Engine Watch and Kathy Schrock's link below to help you decide what to use and how to evaluate the information you find.

Google

MSN

Bing

ASK

These are a few of the top rated search engines. These "crawl" the web using keywords to select sites.

YAHOO!

This is the most popular directory. Directories contain a list of sites that have been collected by humans. 

 
Search Engine Watch

Visit this site to find out the latest news about search engines and directories, as well as how to help you conduct quicker and more accurate searches.

Kathy Schrock's Critical Evaluation of Information

This link contains a vast amount of website evaluation tools. I am sure you have heard the old saying, "Don't believe everything you hear or read." The same is true for the Internet. Just because it is on the Internet does not mean that it is true. Using websites that do not meet specific criteria can be disastrous if you are doing research for a school project. Be sure to evaluate your websites. Check out this link to help you determine if the website you have selected is really what you want.