When you dive into cyberspace, will you sink or swim?

That's what a good Web search is like.

Except it doesn't take you 15 hours with 1000 pieces. It takes 15 seconds with 1,000,000,000,000 pieces. But you have to use some search strategies. Otherwise, the treasured information you seek might escape you in the disorganization and size of the Web.

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Here are some ways to track down the information you crave:

• Come up with a clear and short description of the information you hope to find. Here are some examples.

  Boolean logic, which combines algebra and logic, is credited to a 19th-century mathematician named George Boole.

  • I want to find information on the history of skateboarding.

  • Would my head explode if I went into orbit without a space suit?

  • What's the urban legend about eating pop rocks while drinking Pepsi?

• Identify the key words in your question that will help limit your search results to the most useful information. Extra verbiage will lead the search engine astray. By using only the most important terms in your search — such as the words in bold in the search phrases below — you'll streamline your search for maximum efficiency.
  • I want to find information on the history of skateboarding.

  • Would my head explode if I went into orbit without a space suit?

  • What's the urban legend about eating pop rocks while drinking Pepsi?

• Make sure all your terms are spelled correctly. Believe it or not misspelling words is the biggest reason bad search results come back. Taking a moment to check your typing will save you a lot of time.

• You also may need to try variations of your keyword terms or use synonyms that expand or refine your search.

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What does Abraham Lincoln have to do with effective Internet searching?

Boolean Logic

Examples of these words, or operators, as they are commonly known, are and, or, and not.

So how do you put these magic words to use? If you were looking for information about the history of skateboarding, but didn't want to get inundated with webpages of online skateboard retailers, you could enter:

History AND skateboarding AND NOT retailers AND NOT manufacturers.

Frustrated with schoolwork? There are lots of webpages that can point you in the direction of reliable research links.

With many search engines, you can use plus (+) and minus (-) signs in place of and and not. Just make sure you put the sign before the search terms.

Example: history +skateboarding -retailers -manufacturers

Although different databases use different logic, most of them are pretty good about explaining the various ways of using their databases. If you ever have a tough time narrowing down a search, take a minute to read how the managers of the database suggest you use it.

Obviously the easiest way to use a database is to do a simple keyword search: you enter the word or phrase you're looking for, and the search engine turns up a list of matching documents. But research isn't always quite this easy. By using these strategies, you are more likely to find the stuff you want without spending a lot of time wading through stuff you don't.

When it comes right down to it, the Internet is about instant information. Your computer's monitor can serve as a looking glass into a world of knowledge, but you have to know what you are searching for and the best way to go about finding it. There are literally thousands of search engines, so if it's out there, you can find it! All you need to do is take some time, get to know a few search engines and how they work, and put 'em to work for you. Then sit back, relax, and watch the links pour in.

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