Best of the Search Sites

Do you need to find information about a topic for a school project, or just for fun? Are you looking for some cool graphics for your report? If so, check out these great sites!

Search Engines

These sites can help you find specific information by entering phrases or keywords. You will be able to retrieve full-text (every word) of selected web pages, but the keywords must exactly match the words in the pages. The databases in search engines are compiled by computer-robot programs and have little input from human beings.

AlltheWeb – Another huge engine, rated second after Google by UC Berkeley. It has an “Advanced Search” capability.

http://www.alltheweb.com/

Alta Vista - A large engine that includes a “More Precision” option. Also provided is list of links to refine your search.

http://www.altavista.com/

Ask Jeeves – Ask a question, or type in a word or phrase, and Jeeves will take you to a page of well-described links. Suggested related search terms are also provided as links. This engine seems very kid-friendly!

http://www.ask.com/

Google – This is a huge search engine that ranks sites by how popular they are. It is rated and THE BEST by UC Berkeley. It provided me with many good links. It has an “Advanced Search” capability.

http://www.google.com/

KidsClick! – This search engine was created especially for kids by librarians. Subjects can be searched by letter, or through a list of subjects. Results seemed more limited than in some of the other engines, but it is kid-friendly.

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/

Teoma – Suggestions are given for how to refine or narrow your search, and links to collections from experts and enthusiasts are provided. This engine is also rated as one of the best by UC Berkeley.

http://www.teoma.com/

Subject Directories

Use these sites by entering broad or general subject categories or terms. Subject directories are sites selected by humans who are sometimes experts in the subject. The sites are often carefully evaluated and kept up to date. You will not get full-text of documents, since you are only searching the directory’s contents (subject categories, titles, and descriptions – what you can see). Words you enter for your search do not match the words on the pages as they do in search engines.

Librarians’ Index to the Internet – This directory is a librarian selected and annotated index to the Internet, and is updated weekly. It is recommended by UC Berkeley.

http://lii.org/

Yahoo! – This is a large directory and a very popular one. It always gives me lots of results.

http://www.yahoo.com/

Yahooligans! – This also has sites that are hand-picked as appropriate for children. Kid-friendly and very eye catching, it features a directory by subject and lots of color and animation.

http://www.yahooligans.com/

Image Search Sites (Clipart)

Check out these sites to find cool clipart to liven up your projects and reports!

AltaVista Image Search – An advanced search can help you find photos, graphics, and/or buttons/banners in color and/or black and white.

http://www.altavista.com/image

Clip-Art – Find free clip-art to add to your projects and reports. Choose from tens of thousands of animated and still graphics.

http://www.clip-art.com/

Google Image Search – With access to over 425 million images, this site will provide plenty for you to choose from!

http://images.google.com/

Picsearch – In this site you can conduct an advanced search by choosing images and/or animations and color and/or black and white.

http://www.picsearch.com/

Meta-Search Engines

These sites will quickly (but not very thoroughly) search several individual search engines at one time. Since they only catch about 10% of the search results in any of the search engines they explore, using a “regular” search engine may give better results.

Dogpile – Searches can be conducted in several categories, including the Web, Images, Shopping, Multimedia, News, and more. Favorite topics are listed, and users click the “Fetch” button to begin their search. (Clever!) Results are listed by the search engine used.

http://www.dogpile.com/index.gsp

IxQuick – This was quick and easy to use. Sites are ranked by how many engines choose the site as being relevant; the more stars, the more search engines have the site cataloged. Searches can be conducted in four categories: Web, MP3, News, or Pictures.

http://www.ixquick.com/

Metacrawler – Also quick and easy to use, Metacrawler includes an easy-to-use Tools & Tips page to help the novice searcher.

http://www.metacrawler.com/

News Search Sites

AltaVista News – Locate articles by topic (Top Stories, Business, Entertainment/Culture, Finance, Lifestyle/Travel, Science/Health, Sports, or Technology), by region, from a specific source (CNN, BBC, New York Times, Newsweek, USA Today, Washington Post, and others), or within a general or specific date range (last 2 weeks, today/yesterday, last 7 days, last 30 days, etc.), or choose only articled with images!

http://news.altavista.com/

CNN – CNN’s global team of almost 4,000 news professionals contribute to this site, which is updated continuously.

http://www.cnn.com/

Daypop – This is a current events search engine that updates daily. It brings you the latest information from newspapers, online magazines, and weblogs (opinion columns).

http://www.daypop.com/

Find Articles – Find articles dating back to 1998 from more than 300 journals and magazines. The site is constantly updated. Sources can be viewed by subject or by name.

http://www.findarticles.com/PI/index.jhtml