Search Alternatives and Beyond

Internet search has become a routine computing activity, with regular visits to a search engine—usually Google—the norm for most of us. The vast majority of searchers, as recent studies of Internet search behavior reveal, search only in the most basic of ways and fail to avail themselves of options that could easily and effortlessly improve search quality. Despite a wealth of literature on how to better use search engines, those same searchbehavior studies suggest that searchers ignore nearly all the advice. Many searches seek simple factual results or a known site when the URL is forgotten. For this, a simple Google search works well. Getting good results for a more complex query can depend on a well-crafted search strategy and the use of multiple search engines, deep Web resources, and possibly commercial library databases. For anything beyond the mere factual, the limited search methods used by most searchers are largely ineffective. This article examines alternative engines with unique features that might improve search quality. I also advocate the use of search engines that graphically illustrate what searchers miss when they use only one engine. Finally, the article explores the possibilities for using social bookmarking communities as the ultimate search engine alternative. Developing good search skills requires study, experimentation, exploration, and a routine for keeping up with the latest developments in search engine technology. That goes for information technologists, instructional technologists, and librarians. As information professionals expand their repertoire of tools and techniques to improve their own search skills, they can in turn educate their end-user communities to do better than just good enough.