From Wendy Boswell,
Your Guide to Web Search.
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Every time I need to find something on the Web, I am successful. Right? Uh, not exactly. Eventually, I get to where I'm going, but it takes some work sometimes. Over the years I've developed a few search habits that have made me a more effective searcher, and with just a little practice, you can too. After all, searching the Web is a snap - it's actually finding what we're looking for that's the trick!

Effective Habit 1: Use Targeted Phrases

The more specific your query is, the more success you're likely to have. After all, "why is the sky blue" is easier to understand than "sky blue question". For more information on how to craft a more specific query, read my article titled Looking for a Specific Phrase.

Effective Habit 2: Expand Your Search Horizons

Get out of the habit of only using one search engine for everything. It's okay to use one search engine for the majority of your Web search questions - you get to know that search engine better and can use it more successfully over the long run. However, with all the great search engines out there, it would be a crying shame to limit yourself to just one. Get to know a few search engines and your searches will not only be more interesting, but more effective as you learn which searches work best in which search engines. For more information, read my article titled How to Pick the Best Search Engine.

Effective Habit 3: Learn a Few Web Search Tricks

There are a few Web search tricks that can make your life a lot easier. Nope - no scary computer programming involved, just a few simple Web search tricks that can instantly transform your searches from "blah" to "wow!". Check 'em out in my article titled My Top Ten Web Search Tricks.

Effective Habit 4: Use Your Time Wisely

The longer you spend time searching for something, the more frustrated you can get. It's inevitable that sometimes there's going to be a Web search stumper somewhere in your horizons - it happens to me all the time. Rather than continually beating your Web search head against the wall, get creative: try another search engine, try another way of framing your search query, etc. There's actually a lot of stuff you can do to cut down on the frustration. For more information, read my article titled How to Get Better Search Results.

For more habits of highly effective Web searchers, go on to page two.