Search Engine

The skills required to use a search engine are different than those needed to navigate a subject directory or browse. Generally, a search engine search starts with entering specific keywords into a query and progresses to more specific words until the desired information is found in the returns. You start with a pretty good idea of what you need to find.

The final steps of a search engine search are often taken by browsing: finding the information on a site returned by the search engine.

Use a Search Engine when:

• you have a reasonably good grasp of the type of information that will answer your question;
• you know several keywords that you can use to build a query.

Subject Directory, Browsing

The browsing skills required to search a subject directory or a Web page are the same: identifying hyperlinks on a page that have a high probability of leading to more specific words and ultimately an answer. It's helpful to think of browsing in three ways: Random, Exploratory and Deliberate.

Browsing is ideal for exploration in cases when you don't really know where you need to go. Exploratory browsing differs from random browsing in that increasingly specific keywords are chosen until a discovery is made.

Deliberate browsing, on the other hand, occurs when you have a pretty good idea of what you need. You have keywords in mind and are attentive to links that are related to those words. Most of the time, the links you see are more general than the keywords you need. But you recognize their potential for leading to the words you want. This type of searching requires developed vocabulary skills and lots of patience. You also have to be willing to retrace your steps if the links no longer are related to your guiding search words.

Use a Subject Directory or Exploratory Browsing when:

• you need to be shown keywords related to your research subject;
• you can recognize words that will get you closer to where you need to go.
• you can retrace your steps when the trail stops.

Use Deliberate Browsing when:

• you have a good grasp of the subject matter you are looking for;
• you have keywords in mind that will inform your choices.

Use Random Browsing when:

• you need to interject creativity into a search;
• you have no keywords in mind to inform your choices (because of this, random browsing is not likely to get you closer to the information you need).