Search Basics: Web Search Essentials
By Wendy Boswell, About.com Guide
- Introduction to the Web
- Web Search 101
- Web Browsers
- The Web and the Internet
- Search Engines
- The Invisible Web
- Web Search Tools
Introduction to the Web
What is the World Wide Web? When did it first get started? Find out the background and history of one of the most successful experiments of the twentieth century.
Web Search 101
Take the mystery out of searching the web with web search basics: learn basic web search terms, walk through beginners' web search tutorials and how-to's, and get the hang of basic web search techniques.
- Web Search for Beginners
- Web Search Made Simple
- Seven Habits of Highly Effective Web Searchers
- Web Search FAQ - The Most Popular Web Search Questions
- The Top Ten Web Search Tricks
- Web Search 101
- Take the Web Head Quiz
- Learn How to Use Boolean Searches
- The Three Most Common Search Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- A Beginners Guide to the Web
- How to Search More of the Web
- Web Search Tools
- How to Develop a Search Plan
- Use Basic Math to Search the Web
- Looking for a Specific Phrase? Try Quotation Marks
- Find the Top Search Words on the Web
Web Browsers
In order to search the web, you've got to have a web browser - a simple interface that makes it easier and more intuitive for web searchers to look at content on the web.
- What is a Web Browser?
- How to Set Your Browser's Home Page
- Step By Step Microsoft Internet Explorer Favorites Tutorial
- The Best Firefox Add-Ons for Web Searching
- How to Download and Install the Firefox Browser
- Customize Your Internet Explorer Browser's Search Settings
- The Best Features of Firefox
- The Top Ten Best Firefox Extensions
- Make Your Browser Home Page Work Harder with URLSplit
- Blog Easier with Scribefire
- Download More Easily with DownThemAll
- Manage Your Web Page Collection with Scrapbook
The Web and the Internet
How do the Web and the Internet fit together? What are the differences between the two?
- The World Wide Web and the Internet
- A Short History of the Internet
- TCP IP - The Language of the Internet
- Are There Internet Regulations?
- Internet Speed Test - Test Your Connection Speed
- Make Firefox Look Like Internet Explorer
- Internet Explorer 7
Search Engines
Search engines are a great way to locate information quickly on the Web. There are many different types of search engines that you can use to find what you're looking for.
- The Top Ten Search Engines
- What is a Search Engine?
- Do Search Engines Search The Entire Web?
- Search Engine Quiz
- How to Pick the Right Search Engine for Your Needs
- One Hundred Search Engines
- Six Ways to Make Your Own Search Engine
- Top Five Medical Search Engines
- Top Ten Book Search Engines
- Top Ten Job Search Engines
- Blog Search Engines
- Travel Search Engines
- Yahoo Search Shortcuts
- Image Search Engines
- Niche Search Engines
- Metasearch Engines
- Search Engine Cheat Sheets
- Kid Friendly Search Engines
- Top Ten Niche Search Engines
- Definition of a Search Engine
The Invisible Web
What is the Deep Web? How can you find the Deep Web? What makes the Deep Web search engines and Deep Web databases so special? Find out the answers to these questions and learn more about the Deep Web.
- What is the Invisible Web?
- Invisible Web Directory
- How to Find Medical Information on the Invisible Web
- Search the Invisible Web with Turbo10
- CompletePlanet, an Invisible Web Search Engine
- Deep Web Search Engines
Web Search Tools
Need to find something on the Web? Try this list of tools and helpful Web search tools.
- Use YubNub for Search Shortcuts
- Find a How-To Article
- How to Find the Top Searches on the Web
- How to Find Free Email Accounts
- Use the Web to Find a Doctor
- Find Cheap Gas in Your Area Via the Web
- Find Word Definitions
- Find Similar Sites with Similicious
- Find PDF Files on the Web
- How to Find a Website
- Get Something Translated
- How to Find Local Sites
- Five Ways to Find What You Want at Craigslist
- Find Sites that Link to Your Site
- How to Do a Wildcard Search
- Search a Specific Domain with Google
- How to Find Free Downloads
- Best Site of the Day
- The Best Financial Sites
- How to Find the Best Shopping Sites
The Best Websites
News, reference, gossip, maps, entertainment....here are the best Web sites in a variety of categories.
- The Most Popular Websites on the Web
- The Best Sites for Free Movie Downloads
- The Best Sites for Reading Free Books Online
- The Best Kids Sites
- The Most Popular Search Engines
- The Top Ten Job Search Engines
- The Top Torrent Sites
- The Best Free Public Records Sites
- The Best Fifty Web Sites You Don't Know About (Yet)
- The Best Deep Web Search Engines
- The Best Shopping Sites
- The Best Sites for Freeware Downloads
- The Best Reference Sites on the Web
- The Best Mobile Search Sites
- The Best Web Sites of the Decade
Google is the most popular search engine on the Web. Learn how to use Google to find what you're looking for, as well as explore all the incredibly useful peripheral services that Google has to offer Web searchers.
- Google Search Engine Basics
- Google Search Cheat Sheet
- Use Google To Find People
- Google Phone Numbers
- The Top Ten Most Useful Google Services
- Google Quiz
- Create a Google News Alert
- Little Known Facts About Google
- Google Maps
- Use Google to Find MP3 Files
- Google Toolbar
- Google Docs
- Getting Started with Google Desktop
- Google Spreadsheets
- Google Base
- Find a Google Map on the Web
- Google Finance
- Google Uncle Sam
- Google Talk
RSS
RSS, short for Really Simply Syndication, has revolutionized the Web search landscape. Find out more about RSS, feeds, and RSS readers.
- What are RSS Feeds?
- Ten Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With RSS
- How to Subscribe to RSS Feeds
- RSS Feed Readers
- Use RSS Fifty Different Ways
- Bloglines
- RSS Tutorial
- Create an RSS Feed with Feed43
- Turn Any RSS Feed into a Podcast
- Track Your Packages via RSS
Web Search Safety
Staying safe on the Web is especially important with children in the household. Learn how to stay safe while searching the Web.
- Safety Quiz
- Family Web Safety
- Ten Ways to Keep Your Search History Private
- Top Seven Ways to Hide Your Online Identity
- Are there Internet regulations?
- Anonymous Surfing 101
- How to Remove Your Personal Information from Zabasearch
- Anonymous Surfing with Bugmenot
- Search Engines and Your Privacy
- Learn More About Online Privacy Issues at the Electronic Frontier Foundation
- A Practical Guide to Kids Safety Online
- How do I avoid Porn on the Web?
- Anatomy of a Phishing Scam
- Free Spyware Removal Tools
- National Do Not Call Registry
- Surf the Web Safely with WorkFriendly
Research on the Web
You'll find reference sites, educational research help, Internet research information, and more here in the About Web Search Educational Resources section.
- Citing Internet Sources
- Read Books Online
- Find a Word Definition on the Web
- Google Docs
- Ask an Expert
- Back to School Guide to the Web
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia
- Where is the best place to start research on the Web?
- Ten Ways to Find a Map on the Web
- The Most Useful Web Tools
- Scirus, a Science Search Engine
- Answers.com
- The Best Reference Sites
- Online Archives
- How to Evaluate a Web Source
- Ten Ways to Find News on the Web
- The Top Twenty US Government Web Sites
- 47 Alternatives to Wikipedia
- How to Find Public Domain Works
The Mobile Web
More people than ever before in history are accessing the Web via some kind of mobile device. Learn more about the Mobile Web and how you can use it to search the Web.
- What is the Mobile Web?
- Free Mobile Phone Number Search
- The Top Ten Mobile Search Engines
- iPhone Apps for Web Search
- How to Trace a Mobile Phone Location
- Financial Sites for the Mobile Web
- Entertainment Sites for the Mobile Web
- Reference Sites for the Mobile Web
- The Best Mobile News Sites
- Mobile Search Engines and Search Tools
- Mobile Sports Sites
- The Best Mobile Technology Sites
- Mobile Travel Sites
- Mobile Weather Sites
Free Web Search Classes
Want to learn something new, in your own time, and in the comfort of your own home? Check out one of About Web Search's free classes on how to become a more efficient Internet user.