Finding information on the Internet can be frustrating. The web is hyped up as the biggest information repository the world has ever known. If there’s a subject you want to find more about, we’re told, there has to be something about it on the ‘net. According to the most recent GVU Web user survey, over 69% of internet users go online to find specific information most of the time, and over 99% of us are looking for something specific at least some of the time.

Once we get on, though, how do we get to this promised treasure trove of information? Over 75% of respondents to that same survey said that the difficulty of finding web sites rates among the biggest problems of the internet today. Relevant information can be scattered across dozens, or even hundreds of web sites all around the world. If you can’t find the stuff you’re looking for, or if it takes too much time to find it, what’s it all really worth?

The tips and web sites collected here have been specifically chosen to help maximize your time online. You may notice that a number of popular search sites have not been included. We’ve selected only what we consider to be the best and included a few new resources you might not be familiar with.

Using these strategies and online tools will help you find relevant information quickly and easily. You can use our recommendations as a starting point in determining which search techniques and online sites are best for the way you like to work.

Please note that search terms that would be entered into web sites are enclosed in brackets throughout this booklet, [like this].