Jen Pohl
SLM 521
The Best of the Best!
Search
Engines you can Count on!
Best
General Search Engines
1st
place tie: Yahoo! and Google
Yahoo! and Google are very similar
search engines. They both give brief
annotations (descriptions) of sites and list them in order of relevance, and
you can search sounds and pictures/images as well. Yahoo! offers more specific directories and
channels to explore, but Google also gives you the information you want to
know. When it comes to these, it is
almost a personal preference!
2nd
place: Ask Jeeves
Ask Jeeves is set up in a
non-traditional manner; instead of just typing in the subject you are looking
for (which you can still do here), you ask questions and the answers to your
questions are found for you. Additional
questions that you might not have thought of are also provided to you.
Best
Kid Safe Search Engines
1st
place: KidsClick!
This site helps students find
information on the web by either typing in a phrase to search or choosing a
category, such as Literature or Home and Household. Under each subtitle, the information is
broken down even further, such as Poetry and Pets. The websites given have clear titles as to
what they are about.
2nd
place: Yahooligans!
Students can access information by typing
in the search criteria or search by category.
The categories are not as extensive as KidsClick! but Yahooligans seems
to have more current information near the main page (such as a link to new
movies or television shows).
http://www.yahooligans.yahoo.com
Best
News Search Engine
1st place: Yahoo! News
This comprehensive news site has
several unique features. One is that you
can switch from the source of the news, such as the AP or Reuters. Another feature is that the news is updated
frequently (it tells you how long ago) and highlights the most popular news
stories of the day.
2nd
place: Google News
This site compiles news stories from a
variety of different sources and also tells the readers when the information is
updated. Stories are also listed by
category, such as US, World, Business, Health, and Entertainment.
Best
Travel Search Engine
1st
place: Travelocity
Besides the features to find the lowest
priced flights, hotels, car, cruises, etc, the feature that makes this site
stand out is the Travelocity Guarantee.
This guarantee basically says if anything goes wrong with the
reservations you make, such as you get the wrong kind of car or booked the
wrong flight, they’ll change it for you and make sure it’s taken care of.
2nd
place: Expedia
This site also features the best
prices on all vacation-related expenses, such as hotels and car rentals. They have a best price guarantee which states
if you can find a lower price for your trip within 24 hours of booking, not
only will they pay you the difference but give you a $50 travel coupon.
Best
Shopping Search Engine
1st
place: BizRate
This site is easy to navigate and has
lots of products for you to shop for.
The best price for each object is given, and when you click on that
price, you are automatically taken to the “home site” of that object. This site is very consumer friendly and a
good place to find deals.
2nd place: MySimon
One of the major perks of MySimon is
the advice offered about buying certain products, such as digital cameras and
MP3 players. The best price is given as
well as links to other sites where you can find the products.
Best
Medical Search Engine
1st
place: MedicineNet.com
This medical website makes it easier to
search for information by creating separate search tabs for categories such as
symptoms, procedures and tests, and medications. Very easy to find the specific information
you are looking for!
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp
2nd
place: WebMD
This website contains medical
information but does not break it down into as many easy to use
categories. Also included are currents
events and a guide to healthy living.
