Critical Hits

Looking for a search engine that focuses on scientific and professional journals instead of mixing in all those hits from commercial Web sites. Try this. Another search engine that cuts away commercial Web sites is is actually a shortcut for instructing google.com to look only in .edu domains.)

Another search engine has an interesting feature. When it comes up with a list of hits in response to search keyword(s), each listing on the hit list has a link for “Site info” as well as a link that takes you to the Web page itself. In addition to a wealth of interesting information about the Web site, the “site info” link is also a great way to get a mailing address or phone number if that’s your goal.

Try http://www.teoma.com/ the next time you find yourself at a loss for a keyword or the right phrase for a Web search. This search engine provides an extensive list for refining or narrowing the search along with a hit list.

The AltaVista search engine has handy tool at http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/babelfish/tr. Test it out by copying the SAES URL (http://www.ag.ncat.edu/) and pasting it into the “Translate A Web page” blank. Select “English to Spanish” or maybe “English to Korean” before you hit the “translate” button.

A guide to search engines at the Purdue Web site recommends Go.com for veterinary medicine, because of its “high return rate for topics of interest to veterinary students.” Dogpile is recommended for Consumer and Family Sciences, About for education, and Yahoo for health and nutrition.