Methods of searching for information

Web Science

There are several methods for searching for information on the web, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the main methods for searching for information on the web include:

Search engines: Search engines are the most common and widely used method for searching for information on the web. They use algorithms to search the web for web pages that match a given search query, and they provide users with a list of relevant web pages ranked according to their relevance and quality. Some popular search engines include Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

Directory websites: Directory websites are websites that provide lists of web pages organized by category or topic. Users can browse through the categories or search for specific keywords to find web pages that match their interests. Directory websites can be a useful tool for finding web pages that are related to a specific topic, but they are generally less comprehensive and up-to-date than search engines.

Social media: Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn can be used to search for information on the web. Users can search for keywords or hashtags to find posts and updates related to a specific topic, and they can also use social media to connect with other users who may have information or expertise in a particular area.

Specialized search tools: Specialized search tools are designed to search for specific types of information on the web, such as images, videos, news articles, or scientific papers. These tools can be useful for finding information that may not be easily accessible through general search engines, but they may be less comprehensive and may only cover a specific subset of the web.

In summary, there are several methods for searching for information on the web, including search engines, directory websites, social media, and specialized search tools. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the most appropriate method for searching for information on the web will depend on the type of information being sought and the resources available. Search engines are the most common and widely used method for searching for information on the web, and they provide users with a list of relevant web pages ranked according to their relevance and quality. Directory websites are a useful tool for finding web pages that are related to a specific topic, but they are generally less comprehensive and up-to-date than search engines. Social media platforms can be used to search for information on the web, and can be a useful way to connect with other users who may have information or expertise in a particular area. Specialized search tools are designed to search for specific types of information on the web, and can be useful for finding information that may not be easily accessible through general search engines.

Search engine	method
google	Primarily uses page rank to determine relevance
ask.com	Whereas Google’s PageRank ranks its search results by popularity, Ask has something it calls “ExpertRank”. Essentially this is an automated search algorithm (like Google has), but on top of that results are ordered using topic communities and the editorial functions that create ‘Smart Answers’. While the ExpertRank formula is a secret sauce that Ask.com won’t divulge, they do say that the top results in searches are determined by expertise – and not popularity. As it states on their help pages: “Identifying topics (also known as “clusters”), the experts on those topics, and the popularity of millions of pages amongst those experts — at the exact moment your search query is conducted — requires many additional calculations that other search engines do not perform.”
wolfram alpha	Wolfram Alpha (also styled WolframAlpha and Wolfram Alpha) is a computational knowledge engine[5] or answer engine developed by Wolfram Alpha LLC, a subsidiary of Wolfram Research. It is an online service that answers factual queries directly by computing the answer from externally sourced "curated data", rather than providing a list of documents or web pages that might contain the answer as a search engine might.
Internet archive	The Internet Archive is a San Francisco–based nonprofit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge." It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, movies/videos, moving images, and nearly three million public-domain books. As of October 2016, its collection topped 15 petabytes. In addition to its archiving function, the Archive is an activist organization, advocating for a free and open Internet.

Do you understand this?

Can YouTube be classed as a search engine? Google’s Panda puts the focus on quality. Cloud Kite (Open Drive) for searching the cloud. Multimedia search engines (visual / audio).

Standards

These standards are used from the IB Computer Science Subject Guide

• Evaluate methods of searching for information on the web.

Give a sequence of brief answers with no explanation.

Obtain the only possible answer.

Assess the implications and limitations; make judgments about the ideas, works, solutions or methods in relation to selected criteria.