1. What you 'say' rather than what you 'mean'. Any person who is familiar with the Web will tell you that someone searching for information will usually skirt around the issue. They will not type in precisely what they want. This may be because the searcher says, "I will know it when I see it", or because they find it difficult to put their request directly into words. However, when you use a search engine on the Internet, you are asked to directly enter your search terms    words for which the engine will search. It is worth bearing in mind that what the search engine is really saying is "I will display a link to a Web page if that page contains the words you enter". This is very often forgotten and we believe that search engines can translate the words we enter into what we really mean, which, of course, they cannot.

2. Search for concepts. It is crucial to think about the concepts or subjects relating to what you want to retrieve. You then have to find words that describe these subjects    these are your 'search terms' or 'keywords'. You may think you already know this before going ahead, but even information professionals who use information systems daily, often plan out a search on paper before connecting to an online system. This helps them concentrate on the most important concepts of their search without the added stress of wasting time or money. Of course, the professional systems they use are expensive. Likewise, if you spend a long time searching on the Web, then, you must remember that YOUR TIME is money too.

3. Synonyms. Keep in mind, other words that mean the same thing as your first search terms. These synonyms are very important. The person who created the Web site that you are looking for has probably chosen different words to describe its content. Therefore, you need to second-guess the words that can be suitable alternatives.

4. Changes that we are unaware of. The Web site that you are looking for could have undergone a change and you may not be aware of it. If the information you are looking for is urgently required, don't bite your nails in apprehension. Calmly think about other choices that could come up with the same information that you are surfing for. If the alternate path is given, then route yourself accordingly.

5. What you want ... and what you don't is an important little tip. There may be many things that you come across when you are looking for something on the net. Well, don't impatiently click on... There may be quite a few things that could prove useful later.

In short, you can save a lot of time searching if you keep these tips in mind the next time you want to look for information on the net. Happy Surfing, keep looking!

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