1. Using the Open Directory Project, http://dmoz.org, as we did in the chapter, find a list of resources available on children's nutrition by browsing the directory. Give the title, URL, and a brief description of each of the three most relevant sites you find. (You may find some interesting recipes here as well!)

2. Using Galaxy, http://www.galaxy.com, look for information about depression. Choose four sites to visit and compare the range of information you find at each one. Would you, too, recommend these sites? Give the title and URL of the site you think is the best, and explain why you like it.

3. Suppose you collect comic books as a hobby and are interested in finding Web sites about them.

a. Try browsing through LookSmart at http://www.looksmart.com. How do you like the way this directory is set up? What categories did you browse to find your topic? Is this directory searchable by keyword?

b. Look for the same subject at Yahoo! http://www.yahoo.com. In what category was your topic found here? c. Did you prefer one directory over another for this topic? Why?

4. Now let's look at virtual libraries.

a. Go to the Internet Public Library at http://www.ipl.org and choose the Reference section. Browse the categories to find sites about dance. How many are listed? Under what category did you find the topic? Are any ballet company Web sites listed?

b. Go to the Librarians' Index to the Internet at http://lii.org and look for the same topic. How many resources are listed here? How many are the same as those you found at the Internet Public Library?

5. Stay at the Librarians' Index (http://lii.org) and, using the Search feature, look for sites about the following topics. How many do you find? Go to one site for each topic and describe what is available there.

a. Ballooning

b. Egyptian mythology

c. Cosmology

6. Go to Google at http://www.google.com and search for information about James Glaisher, a 19th century scientist. How many results did you obtain? Give the URL of a site that includes this information.

7. Using All the Web at http://alltheweb.com, look for Dadaism. Find a page that gives a definition of the term. Give the definition and the URL of the site where you found it.

8. Here's a little exercise on the importance of phrase searching: Go to Alta Vista at http://altavista.com.

a. Type the words bats in your belfry into the search box. How many results did you find? Look at the first page of results. Are they relevant to your search for that phrase? Now go back and add quotation marks around the phrase. How many results did you obtain this time?

b. Now suppose you are looking for historical information about the medieval Norsemen and their battles. You are looking for a place called the Kirk of Skulls. Type the words Kirk of Skulls in at AltaVista. How many results do you find? Now add the quotation marks around the phrase. How many results did you find? Did you find your answer?