Search engines are tools that enable you to customize your explorations of the Web using keyword queries. There are a variety of commercial search engines available on the Web, and each brings its own benefits and limitations. The best way to determine which search engines are most useful for your inquiries is to experiment with each one individually. Each search engine allows you to restrict or expand your searching criteria and will provide you with tips on modifying your searches.
Decide the topic of your inquiry and jot down a few keywords that relate to your subject area. For example, if your topic happened to be the history of baseball, you might write down terms like: Negro League, baseball history, Jackie Robinson, New York Yankees, sports history. Any or all of these terms would be a starting point for your search engine use. Once you have entered your keyword or term in the Search field, use your mouse to highlight and click on the accompanying Search button to begin the search engine. Query results in the form of active hyperlinks will be displayed once the query has been completed.
