La Trobe University

Library

Search Engines

General Search Engines

These use keywords to build a simple list of sites where those words occur. Many also have Advanced Search options that enable you to use phrases, linked words or limits.

  • Google - The most popular search engine; includes advanced searching, topic groups and resource sub-sections
  • AltaVista
  • All the Web
  • Anzwers - uses limits to Australia or New Zealand
  • Dogpile - metasearch engine
  • Surfwax - metasearch engine
  • Yahoo! - The first large scale directory of the internet, with topic groups and personalised options
Guided Search Engines

These use your keywords to build a more specific set of results, by searching precise collections or presenting them so that you can explore broader concepts and meanings.

  • Google Scholar - Searches scholarly literature from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles and technical reports.
    Details to configure Google Scholar for your computer at home/off campus to show La Trobe titles.
  • Google Book Search - searches texts from major publishers, with some full text offered
  • Kartoo - displays search results as concept map
  • Mooter - clusters search results by relevance
Image Search Engines
Directories

These are gateways or searching tools for a specific area of resources.