Metasearch engines search multiple individual search engines simultaneously. Metasearch engines are useful when you want to find as much as you can on a topic and don't want to search each engine individually.

Try:

For more information on how search engines work, visit Search Engine Watch.

Search Tips

Keywords:

When you enter a series of keywords without punctuation, the search engine will match all pages on which any of those words appear. The pages with the greatest number of keywords appear first on the results list.

Punctuation:

If you put a plus (+) sign in front of any word that means that that word must appear on a page for it to be a match.

Example:    You are researching Native American literature and would like more information on Louise Erdrich's novel Bingo Palace. If you search using just bingo palace, you will get a listing of bingo palaces across the country.

Search:  +Erdrich bingo palace

Results: All pages will have Erdrich or Erdrich and the book title.

If you place a minus (-) sign before a word, then you will not recieve any pages where that word appears.

Example:   You are researching the history of politicians and activists in India named Gandhi and you already have all the information you need on Mahatma Gandhi.

Search: Gandhi -Mahatma

Results:   Only pages with the name Gandhi, but not Mahatma.

If you place a phrase in quotes (""), then the search engine will only pull up pages that have that exact phrase.

Example:  You want information on Woody Allen's film Husbands and Wives. Without quotes, your results list will include any pages that have either husbands or wives or both, even if you include Allen's name. To indicate that you are looking for a specific title, use quotes.

Search:     "husbands and wives" +allen

Results: Only pages with Allen or the phrase "husbands and wives" and Allen.