Internet Explorer - Before you search

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This is not a course. It is a...

Tip Sheet

Before you search		Natural language search - AskJeeves
		Information Index - Yahoo
Basic tips for keyword searching		Keyword search - Alta Vista
Specialised searches		Multiple-search - Dogpile

The following information is adapted from pages written by Bernie Dodge and come from the WebQuest Training Materials at http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html

While the search for information may seem to go much faster than before, it will flow even faster if you slow down for a minute and remind yourself of what you're looking for. The simple advice below will take a short time to follow and will save you time in the long run.

There are only two steps:

1. Think About Your Topic

What is the question you're trying to answer? Think about the

people
terms
organizations
places
objects, etc.

that might be mentioned in any web page that might contain the answer to your question.

Jot these down on scrap paper as they occur to you.

2. Create a 3M List of Search Terms

Now, start a second list. By thinking about your topic in terms of words that Must, Might, or Must Not appear in the pages you're after, you'll be preparing well to deal with a search engine.

In the MUST column, write any terms that would surely appear on a web page that's relevant. You want to be sure that every page that the search engine points you to includes these words.

In the MIGHT column, put words that are synonyms for relevant terms, any of which might appear on a page of interest to you.

In the MUSTN'T column, put words that would exclude pages that use some of the same words you're after, but which you aren't interested in.