How to Search the Web
findingDulcinea’s Guide teaches you how to find anything you are looking for on the Web, and will direct you to more Web sites to help you in any search. It will make you a smarter searcher, whatever you are looking for. For foreign-language versions of this guide, see the links under "More Guides..." on the right.
Expand All Guide SectionsThe Internet: Defined and Explained
Understanding the technological underpinnings of the Internet and the World Wide Web will enhance ... read more »
Web Site Credibility
Finding information on the Web is like being a police detective: your information is only as good ... read more »
How Search Engines Work
Searching is the most popular way to find information on the Web, and search engines, which are ... read more »
Choosing a Search Engine
This is a question most people don't ask, because established search routines are hard to escape. ... read more »
The Invisible Web
Many of the Web’s most extensive sites work like libraries. These database sites keep all of ... read more »
Web Directories
Web directories are lists of hand-selected sites compiled by Web users and organized into categorical tree structures to help users locate sites with content that is relevant to their research. Some directories are large and authoritative; others are small and amateur. Web directories are very useful when you want to find sites related to a specific category.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Web directories are browsable collections of links, assembled by humans and classified by subject.
- Web directories generally fall into two categories:
- scholarly (assembled, edited, and annotated by experts and professionals)
- commercial (rely on site traffic and advertising to operate)
- To find subject directories simply add the term “directory” to your search query. This will lead you to a page of preselected sources on the topic you are searching.
- Each directory has a different focus, and you’ll need one that suits your individual needs. For instance, if you want to find sites on video game cheat codes, a commercial directory like the Open Directory Project or dmoz would be a good start. If you want access to sociology journals, try a scholarly directory like the Librarians’ Internet Index.
- Because directories only contain the title, URL, and sometimes a brief description of the sites listed, and not a site’s full text, your searches within a directory will be most successful if you try to more general than specific. Keep this in mind when forming your search terms: it may be best to begin with a broad topic to reduce the chances of eliminating valuable sites. For example, if you are looking for information on Picasso, start by searching for “modern art,” then explore the sites listed.
- Browse a directory only if it lacks a search function. If you’re browsing, you’ll need to guess which subject heading your topic would fall under at each layer. If at any point you follow an incorrect topic, you’ll miss the link for which you are looking.
- To ensure quality, ask yourself some questions: How are the links selected, and by what criteria are they judged? Are the links accompanied by descriptions? Are these descriptions written by directory staff or by Web site creators themselves? For answers to these questions, visit the "How do I know if I can trust a Web site?" section of this guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
findingDulcinea
is a new take on Web directories. We’re a directory, insofar as our guides are organized in a tree structure and are composed of sites that our researchers deem to be the most useful the Web has to offer. We diverge from conventional directories by offering tips and insight into how you can conduct your own research, so you are not limited to using the sites we present. You’ll also find a valuable supplement to our guides: a customized search engine that indexes only findingDulcinea-approved sites.
Librarians’ Internet Index
is a good spot to check for research in any discipline. LII is a publicly funded site full of interesting bits of information and Web sites. This directory of over 20,000 handpicked, screened, and annotated Web sites was assembled by a group of California librarians.
Go2Web20.net
is a directory of Web 2.0 sites (the recent wave of community-driven sites emphasizing interaction and collaboration between their users). Go2Web20.net allows you to filter your results by tags (descriptive words), and sort them alphabetically or by date. This is a great place to find some of the newest in Web 2.0 applications.
Intute
, although aimed at users in the United Kingdom, provides concise annotations with information on the publisher, the date published, and the content to be found on each Web site in a search result. Intute was developed from the former Resource Discovery Network and launched in July 2006.
The Internet Scout Project
is part of the University of Wisconsin's College of Letters and Sciences. This site provides access to first-rate research materials. With a directory containing more than 23,000 carefully selected and annotated sites compiled over nine years, it is a valuable resource tool.
The WWW Virtual Library
is the oldest directory on the Web. Founded by Tim Berners-Lee (the creator of HTML), it's currently maintained and coordinated by “expert” volunteers. The number of topics included is staggering and quite specific.
The Educator's Reference Desk
is a directory of everything concerning education. From the Information Institute of Syracuse, this site provides parents and educators with plenty of useful educational information and resources.
Who knew?
IceCreamProfits.com
calls itself "the Internet’s Largest Ice Cream Business Directory" but is also a "one-stop source for everything you need to start and run a successful ice cream business." Web directories come in many flavors, so before you assume your topic is too specialized to warrant a directory, remember the existence of this site.
Social Bookmarking Tools
One of the recent trends in Web research is "social bookmarking." Social bookmarking ... read more »
Scholarly Resources Online
Most standard sources of information aren't adequate for academic purposes; what you need is the ... read more »
How to Cite a Source
Almost all of the information you find on the Internet is copyrighted. All copyright and ... read more »
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
