Technical Report Writing

Practice Searches: Yahoo and Lycos

Connect to MSU Library’s Search Engines page:

http://www.moorhead.msus.edu/library/instruct/library/search.htm

Yahoo

http://www.yahoo.com

WHAT it searches: 4 areas of Yahoo’s database:

HOW it ranks:

Directions: Enter the specified search engine. Enter the search queries, given in the left column, exactly as shown. Record number of Categories and web sites in the right column.
home business Categories:
Sites:
entrepreneur
 Categories:
Sites:
home business development Categories:
Sites:
"home business" development -construction

Gets rid of the word "construction" from your results, and searches for "home business" as a phrase.

 		Categories:

Sites:
"small business" Categories:
Sites:
"small business" financ* Categories:
Sites:
"small business" -sales
NOTE: excludes pages containing the word "sales" 		Categories:
Sites:
Click on the category "Business & Economy", Click on "Search Just This Category" and search for entrepreneur Categories:

Sites:
title: entrepreneur

Continue searching only in "Business & Economy" category. Will find only pages with "entrepreneur" in title

Categories:
Sites:

title: +entrepreneur -consulting
NOTE: only pages with entrepreneur in title (consulting NOT in title)

 Categories:
Sites:

 

 

 

Lycos

http://www.lycos.com/

NOTE: Take advantage of the special feature of "Searching Within Results." It is an effective narrowing technique.

For all of these searches, search "The Web" (not Usenet Newsgroups)
"home business" Sites:
multicultural* business
NOTE: gets hits for multicultural, multiculturalism 		Sites:
"home business" north dakota

Select one of the sites and click on the "More Like This" Link

Sites:
All Searches from this point will be in the "Lycos Pro Advanced Search" screen.

New Search

Select--all the words, within 25 words, any order

Search for: "small business development" minnesota

Select:

--Any Content

--Entire Document

--English Language

 Sites:

Search Within These Results

  • duluth

    • Any Content
    • Entire Document
    • English Language
    •      		Sites:

     

    Now, using your OWN TOPICS try to find sites that are relevant and useful utilizing the advance techniques you just practiced. Write down the titles and URLs, or print out these resources for future use.

    See also:

    Evaluating Internet Resources

    http://www.mnstate.edu/library/instruct/library/evaluate.htm

     

     

     

     

     

     

    11/29/99
    Brittney Goodman
    Livingston Lord Library
    http://www.mnstate.edu/library/instruct/seartwr.htm