Directories             Search Engines             Meta-Indexes                        

Directories
	If your topic is broad (archeology, AIDS), start with a directory.
	Select the most likely general subject heading and move down through the levels of subcategories.
	Keep informed of changes in search tools at www.searchenginewatch.com

Search Engines
	If your topic is very specific or narrow (such as a recipe for zucchini orange nut bread), use a search engine.
	Try using phrases instead of single words. Put quotation marks around the phrases.
	Use nouns whenever possible, placing the most important terms first. Put a "+" before any word you want to include and a "-" before any word you want to exclude.
	Use a wild card (*) or boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to find different forms of a search term.
	Find out how to choose the best search engine at Noodle Tools.

Meta-Indexes
	Meta-Indexes search the databases of other search engines and directories simultaneously.
	The results are more comprehensive but returned more slowly. Use keywords and simple search statements.

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