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How do I learn to search the Internet effectively?

Using a search engine to search with keywords in the basic search screen may not be the most efficient method for locating information on the Internet. This strategy might be effective if the goal is to find the site for a specific organization, but not as effective for a subject search. Subject searches often result in thousands of "hits".

It is possible to narrow an Internet search by using the Advanced Search screens provided by most search engines. For instance, narrowing the search by domain is one strategy for limiting search results ("edu" for sites at educational institutions, "gov" for government sites, "org" for organizational sites).

Many academic libraries provide tutorials on their websites to assist students with learning how to search the Internet effectively so that searches result in fewer, more relevant sites.

Try one of the tutorials or tutorial modules below to improve your knowledge about the Internet and your searching skills.

Internet Tutorials

Finding Information on the Internet: a Tutorial (UC Berkeley)

Internet Tutorials (U. of Albany)

Internet Navigator (U. of Utah)

Tutorial Modules on searching the Internet

Using the Web (from Merlin at UMass)

Using the Web (from SearchPath at Western Michigan U.)

Judge for Yourself (evaluating websites) (UCLA)

Internet Searching Tips

Scholarly Guide to Google (Harvard)

Web Searching Tips

For additional assistance with searching the Internet, contact a Reference Librarian at the Reference Desk or at (413) 774-1509.