Greenfield Community College

How do I learn to search the Internet?

There is so much information available on the Internet that it can be overwhelming. Learning how to search the Internet well can save time and help you find the specific information that you are seeking. It is important to think about whether the Internet is the best source for the information required. The electronic databases purchased by the library provide access to citations and full text of periodical articles that have already been through the publishing process. This means that the information has been evaluated for accuracy and reliability. These databases are often the best place to find current information on a topic. Because anyone can publish on the Internet and no one is responsible to determine whether the information provided there is accurate, you must evaluate everything that you find on the Internet yourself. Remember, anyone can put anything on the Internet.

If you are uncertain whether the Internet is the best place to begin your search or you need assistance in learning how to search the Internet, the Reference Librarian is available to assist you (413-775-1834).

The following sites provide tutorials and techniques that will help you learn to successfully use the Internet:

Boolean Searching on the Internet (U. of Albany)
Finding Information on the Internet (U. of California, Berkeley)
Guide to Effective Searching of the Internet
Internet Tutorials (U. of Albany Library)
Internet Tutorials by Discipline
Internet Navigator
Sink or Swim:  Internet Search Tools and Techniques
Specialty Databases (a tutorial)
Welcome to the Web (for beginners)
What is a Metasite? (tutorial)
World Wide Web (a beginners tutorial from Griffith U.)

The following sites provide suggestions and tutorials on evaluating the information that you find on the Internet:

Evaluating Internet Resources
Evaluating Internet Sites 101 (a virtual tutorial)
Evaluating Web Pages
Evaluating Web Sites
Evaluating Web Sites: a tutorial
Net Tutor (a virtual tutorial)
Thinking Critically About WWW Resources

There are a number of different search engines and directories that can be used to search the Internet. Each search engine is unique, so it is useful to read the Help screens and searching tips provided to learn the similarities and differences between these tools and how to search each engine efficiently. See Resources for searching the Internet for easy access to a variety of search engines, evaluated directories, general subject directories, meta search engines, and links to the invisible or deep web. The deep web consists of databases, archives, catalogs, guides, directories, & specialized search engines that are not easily or entirely accessible through regular search engines.