Resource Discovery: Making a Start

Subject Gateways

Further subject gateways may be found via the Pinakes launchpad
Search Engines

Searching hints for both AltaVista and FAST Search:

  • To look for an exact phrase place it in quotation, e.g. "waiting for godot"
  • Use wildcards to truncate a word, e.g. evaluat* and use upper case when absolutely required
  • For words and phrases which must appear within a web page should be prefixed with a plus sign, e.g. +"waiting for godot" +bibliography
  • For words and phrases which must not appear within a Web page prefix with a minus sign, e.g. +"waiting for godot" +bibliography -syllabus
  • To constrain searches by URL prefix the domain/URL with 'url:', e.g. +"waiting for godot" +bibliography +url:*.edu (this only works with AltaVista)
Search Alta Vista
Ask AltaVistaTM a question.  Or enter a few words in Help - Advanced

Example: How can I evaluate Web resources?

FAST WEB Search Search

For further information about the range and types of search engines available see Search Tools: A Guide

Part of CTI presentation at the University of Durham, 14 July 1999