Search the Internet

Are you unfamiliar with the Internet? If you want to know how to search the Internet, then you have to find the right search engine, type in your search as accurately as possible, and browse through the results to find the one you want.

Steps

  1. Select a search engine. At the top of any page on your browser (the window that you open to use the internet), type the phrase “search engines” into the Search Bar to attain access to several different internet sites that specifically aid in searching. Common search engines (click one of the links below to access the search engine named):
  2. After typing in whatever you want to search, press the Enter key on the keyboard of your computer.
  3. Choose a few of the most specific or relevant keywords or phrases to describe your topic. Utilize synonyms. Type your choice of words into the Search Bar offered by your chosen search engine.
    • Generally, capitalization and punctuation are not needed.
    • Search engines usually disregard minor words such as "the, and, to, etc."
  4. Click Search or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  5. Assess your results. Search through your list of web pages to pinpoint information.
  6. Repeat above steps as necessary.
    • Choose a different search engine.
    • Choose new search words that are more or less specific.
  7. Use the Advanced Search found on most sites. For example, if you want to go to Advanced Search on Yahoo, go here.
  8. Use the Site Map of a site, if there is one.
  9. It is not correct to assume that your subject is more or less equally visible in all search engines, so it is very important that you use a non-biased search engine (such as Yahoo, DuckDuckGo...). Recent engines sort pages also by rank that is assigned is a complex, ever changing, usually secret way and is different for every search company. Google sorts by who pays them, which means that they feature those sites and you may not get all the information that you need. While engines will likely be "consistent" for a highly popular web sites, less popular web sites may be ranked very differently and it may make sense to try multiple engines.

Tips

  • Place a minus sign (-) prior to each word to “omit a word,” such as recipe-meat for a vegetarian meal.
  • Utilize quotation marks, to view "consecutive words of a phrase," such as "flower arrangement."
  • While searching, bookmark any other sites of interest.
  • Place a plus sign (+) prior to each word to view each “word separately” within your search results, such as +writer+grammar+punctuation.
  • Enter a short question, such as "what time is it?"
  • In Yahoo You can search by specific type of file by writing filetype:<name_of_type>, for example : "filetype:pdf" and write the subject what you are going to search then you will get all pdf files on that subject in result.

Warnings

  • Law enforcement may be monitoring the traffic to illegal sites. Be aware that Google tracks what the user does and may provide that information to anyone who pays them for it.

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