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Directories are search engines with lists of Web sites organized by subject - tree listings.

Directories begin with lists of broad subject categories and branch out to include lists of narrower, more specific subjects.

Advantages

• Web sites are picked by people who become expert in the subject area so only the better sites are included.

• When browsing lists of subjects, it is easy to narrow a search, even when researching an unfamiliar topic.

• Find content even on topics that are unfamiliar.

Disadvantages

• Includes fewer web pages than do full-text search engines and may grow and change slowly. 

• The larger the directory, the more difficult to manage, holes in the subjects it covers develop, dead links grow.

• Some subjects may include too few sites to be useful.

Search Engine Watch. 9 March 2004. <hwww.searchenginewatch.com>.