Term

Page number

Definition

Exploratory question

4.04

An open-ended question that can be difficult to phrase; also it is difficult to determine when you find a good answer.

Specific question

4.04

A question that you can phrase easily and one for which you will recognize the answer when you find it.

Hit

4.07

A Web page that is indexed in a search engine’s database and contains text that matches your search expression.

Results page

4.07

A Web page generated by a Web search engine that contains hyperlinks to the Web pages that contain matches to the search expression entered into the search engine.

Search engine

4.07

A special kind of Web page that finds other Web pages that match a word or phrase you enter into it.

Search expression

4.07

The word or phrase that you enter into a Web search engine; it also might include instructions that tell the search engine how to conduct its search. Also called a query.

Web robot

4.07

A program used by Web search engines that automatically searches the Web to find new Web sites and updates information about old Web sites that already are in the search engine's database. Also known as a bot or a spider.

META tag

4.10

An HTML element that a Web page creator places in a Web page header to inform Web robots about the page’s content.

Web directory

4.11

A Web site that contains a list of Web page categories, such as education or recreation. The hyperlinks on a Web directory page lead to other pages that contain lists of subcategories that lead to other category lists and Web pages that relate to the category topics.

Yahoo!

4.11

A Web directory.

Hybrid search engine directory

4.12

A Web site that combines the functions of a Web search engine and a Web directory.

Meta-search engine

4.16

A tool that accepts a search expression and transmits it to several search engines that run the search expression against their databases of Web page information and return results that the meta-search engine consolidates and reports.

Dogpile

4.17

A Web meta-search engine.

Argus Clearinghouse

4.19

A Web bibliography site that reviews and provides hyperlinks and guides to various subjects.

Resource lists (guides, clearinghouses, virtual libraries)

4.19

A Web site that contains a list of hyperlinks to other Web pages that contain information about a particular topic or group of topics and often includes summaries or reviews of the Web pages listed.

Boolean algebra

4.23

A branch of mathematics and logic in which all values are reduced to one of two values—in most practical applications of Boolean algebra, these two values are true and false.

Boolean operators

4.23

In Boolean algebra, operators that specify the logical relationship between the elements they join. Also known as logical operators.

Location operator

4.24

A Web search engine operator that lets you search for terms that appear close to each other in the text of a Web page; the most common is the NEAR operator. Also called proximity operator.

Precedence operator

4.24

Operators that clarify the grouping within complex search expressions; usually indicated by parentheses or double quotation marks. Also called inclusion operator or grouping operator.

Search filter

4.25

Web search engine feature that allows you to eliminate Web pages from a search based on attributes such as language, date, domain, host, or page component (hyperlink, image tag, title tag).

Wildcard character

4.25

The character, usually the asterisk (*), that you can use to indicate that part of the term or terms entered into a Web search engine has been omitted.