Therefore, when you search a directory, you are first shown matching web sites. Then, you are shown matching web pages that come from search engine listings. Search engine math can still be used for directories even though they are different from the spider driven engines that crawl the web. The only difference will be that catalogue-type engines require precise wording and are less flexible. Furthermore, these capabilities can be enhanced using additional concepts beyond the math.
Search engines have a variety of ways to refine and control searches.
Some have menu systems to assist, but most allow the use of special commands as part of the query. Practically all engines support phrase and title searches as well as searches under particular hosts. This is a very powerful exclusionary method. The same technique for searching a particular host can also be used to exclude particular domains as well. In fact, one of the most powerful features available is the ability to control which sites are included or excluded from a search and then searching within the specific sites discovered.