Web research skills – finding curated, handpicked websites Which type of web-finding tool is best when you want sites that have been reviewed, organized, and recommended by humans rather than only ranked by algorithms?

Introduction / Context:
Online discovery tools differ in how results are gathered and vetted. If you need quality, curated links—especially for academic overviews or authoritative resources—understanding which tool emphasizes human review is essential.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• You want websites that have been handpicked and recommended.
• Tools considered include algorithmic search, meta-search, forums, and curated directories.
• There is exactly one best match for human-reviewed curation.

Concept / Approach:
Subject directories (sometimes called web directories) organize links by topic and rely on editors or communities to select, summarize, and categorize sites. Classic examples historically included curated librarian directories and academic gateways. Search engines crawl and index the entire web automatically; meta-search engines aggregate multiple search engines; discussion groups and social feeds are conversational, not systematically curated directories.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the tool that explicitly involves human editorial selection: subject directories.Eliminate tools whose primary function is algorithmic indexing or conversation rather than curation.Choose “Subject directories.”

Verification / Alternative check:
Library and academic resource guides often maintain directories with annotated links; these are examples of human-vetted collections distinct from search engines.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Search engines: powerful breadth but not necessarily human-annotated.
• Meta-search engines: combine algorithmic results, still not curated.
• Discussion groups: useful for advice but unstructured and subjective.
• Social media timelines: ephemeral and ranking-driven, not stable curation.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming first-page search results are equivalent to curation. Ranking signals do not replace expert selection and annotation.

Final Answer:
Subject directories