Internet Searching by Subject- Subject Directories

A Subject Directory / Guide is a listing of web sites arranged by subject categories. Subject directories are most often compiled by people (though some directories are compiled automatically), in contrast to search engines which utilize computer programs to compile and list Internet sites. Many directories provide a brief abstract of Internet sites which may include the kind of information you will find on the site.

• Subject Directory Listing
• Key features of Subject Directories
• Sites selected by our library
• Why use a Subject Directory
• How to use a Subject Directory
• Additional information

• Simply follow the subject links, from broad to more specialized, provided by a Subject Directory until you find information on your topic OR complete a keyword search if available.

• Directories are fast and usually guarantee at least a few highly relevant sites for a particular topic.
• As well as general directories, such as Yahoo!, there are subject specific directories such as FINWeb - a directory devoted to financial economics.

• Always check the help files associated with each directory to find out how often the directory is updated, searching tips, what types of files are included (newsgroups, etc.), etc.