Chapter 43

Explore the resources of the web using a search engine. Using a search engine, find the answers to the following questions: (a) Who is Linus C. Pauling, and what is he famous for? What prize did he win and when? (b) What is the alternative name for dichloro-methane? (c) What is the postal address of the Royal Society of Chemistry's London headquarters?

Compare results from a variety of search engines. First, think of an appropriate chemistry keyword or phrase (e.g. a compound name) and enter this into several search engines. Make sure that you include meta-search engines such as Dogpile. Compare the outcomes to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the individual search engines. Work with a colleague to compare different searches on a quantitative (i.e. number of hits) and qualitative (quality of hits) basis.

Organise your bookmarks. Enter the 'Organise favorites' menu for your preferred browser and create folders with appropriate headings. Move existing bookmarks to these folders and save any new ones appropriately. Doing this will help you find bookmarks more easily, rather than searching through long lists.