For general searches, classified directories are good for finding web sites dealing with a topic, and search engines are good for finding individual web pages which mention specific search terms. The UWS Academic Gateway has links to many of the best search services. Search Engines . With a search engine you type a word or phrase and the search engine lists web pages containing your search words, displayed as hyperlinks so you can jump directly to the information required. Some of the better known search engines are Alta Vista , Excite and HotBot .
Search engines have many limitations.
You may get many references from a search, but you often have no way of filtering substantial resources from trivial ones. For many searches it is better to use search tools which rely on human compilation, such as classified directories and subject gateways. Classified Directories . Classified directories offer a list of subject headings, each of which is a hyperlink to a list of web sites relevant to that heading. As well as simply listing web sites for each topic, the better subject catalogues will evaluate sites before adding them to the catalogue and provide descriptions of the sites so that you can assess their relevance without connecting to each in turn.