The Search Box Strategy is a Matching Game.

Search engines use robotic programs called spyders to crawl the Internet visiting webpages. These spyders help create an indexed database of the most important words on each page they visit. When you enter words in the search box, the search engine checks its database index for a match. The pages listed in the results contain matches for your words.

Spider in web combaring two words

Match Game - Step by Step

  • You enter the words you think will be in the documents you seek.
  • The search engine finds the webpages in its index that exactly match your words.
  • You review the search results to see if your words found the information you hoped for.
  • If your search words didn't match, you revise your words and try again.

Persistence Pays!

If you don't get the combination right on the first try, gather clues and try again. The systematic refinement of your search terms is the essence of the Search Box Strategy!

combination lock: What's the Combo? An unsuccessful search means you haven't found the right combination to unlock the puzzle. Revise your words and try again.

Cartoon Image of a computer reading from paper text. Listen

Authored by Dennis O'Connor 2003-2004