going beyond google: internet research that works

Going beyond Google: Internet Research that Works

Shelly BlackmanApril 22, 2008

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Overview

•Why Google? •Power Searching with Google•Google’s Limitations•What is the Invisible Web? •Subject Directories, Virtual Libraries, Free

Databases•Web 2.0 – Other Search Tools

•Search Strategies / Resources List

Why Google? The good:

Intuitive interface; excellent image searches; best-of-class local searches, producing maps with satellite imagery; cached pages and related links; sponsored links clearly separated out into the right-hand column; desktop search tool; downloadable toolbar

Source: CNET Reviews at http://reviews.cnet.com/Google/4505-9239_7-31337412.html?tag=box

Ask.com

2%

MSN/

Windows Live

14%

Y ahoo

20%

Google

53%

Other

6%

AOL

5%

Google’s Market Stronghold

Source: “Top 10 Search Providers.” <http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156451>

Power Searching with Google

Try Google’s Advanced Search

Power Searching with Google

Example: - Enter this string in search box

form 1040 filetype:pdf

Google Shortcuts: IF YOU NEED: DO THIS:

Definitions Define vodou

An exact phrase “live and learn”

To calculate 38+71; 50% of 100

To convert 35 Celcius in Fahrenheit

To search only one web site Site: www.hoovers.com “Starbucks”

Source: “Who’s Afraid of Google.” In Library Journal.com at http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6337366.html

More Google Tools:

See Google shortcuts: See complete list at www.googleguide.com

Google’s Limitations

The not-so-good:

Searching for audio files

• (includes files with .aiff, .au, .wav or .wave extensions)

Over 3000 file types!

•See list at: http://whatis.techtarget.com/fileFormatA/0,289933,sid9,00.html

Other Search Engines for Media

• AlltheWebhttp://www.alltheweb.com – Search for news, audio, video*

• Lycoshttp://www.lycos.com – Images, video

Search Engine Limitations

Although large databases, provides access tosmall portion of what is available

The Invisible Web

The Invisible Web is that portion of the Web that is not reached by standard search engines such as Google. It is estimated to be 2-500 times bigger than the visible web. It includes specialized searchable databases and search engines, archives of documents, documents in specialized formats, directories and locators, dictionaries, library catalogs, non-text files, and gated resources requiring a password or login

Source: Beyond Google: Searching the Web More Effectively http://healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/beyondgoogle.html

Why Invisible?Real time content

Formats

Sites requiring login authorization

Sites blocked by Robot Exclusion Protocols

Sites requiring login authorization

Interactive content

Content generated dynamically as the result of a query

Source: Beyond Google – The Invisible Web at http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/invisibleweb/characteristics.htm

Robot Exclusion ProtocolsUse of blocking techniques by the webmaster or server

Password protection– HTML blocking in the web page– A listing on the server of blocked pages

Content of DatabasesInformation stored in tables (Access, Oracle,

SQL Server, DB2) and accessible only by query: – Phone books, People finders– Patents, laws– Items for sale in a Web store or Web-based auctions – Digital exhibits– Multimedia and graphical files– Stock and bond prices

Deep Web Search Tools:

Subject Directories

Virtual Libraries

Specialized Databases

Subject Directories

Yahoo! Directory http://dir.yahoo.com/

Open Directory Project http://www.dmoz.org/

About.com http://www.about.com

Subject Directories

Best used when you:

• have a broad topic

• want selected, evaluated, and annotated collections

• prefer quality over quantity

• aim to generate a list of sites/resources in a subject area

Avoid These Pitfalls:

Browsing searchable directories Use the search box for a more efficient search

Following links to sites recommended by heavy use or commercial interest Sites based on popularity ranking or on commercial fees paid

Source: Search Strategies – Search with Peripheral Vision at http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Strategies.html

Virtual Libraries

INFOMINE — A virtual library of Internet resources relevant to university students and faculty. Built by librarians from the University of California, California State University, the University of Detroit-Mercy, and Wake Forest University. http://infomine.ucr.edu/

Virtual LibrariesThe WWW Virtual Library

is the oldest catalogue of the Web, started by Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of HTML and of the Web itself, in 1991 at CERN in Geneva. Unlike commercial catalogues, it is run by a loose confederation of volunteers, who compile pages of key links for particular areas in which they are experthttp://vlib.org/

Free Searchable Databases

• Search tools for specialized subject areas

• Best used when you have a narrow topic – E.g. law, health, business, science

• Good place to locate sources:

Research Beyond Google (Online Education Database) http://oedb.org/library/college-basics/research-beyond-google

Specialized Databases• Law

– Nolo Encyclopedia http://www.nolo.com

• Medicine– PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

• Science – Scirus http://www.scirus.com/ – Intute http://www.intute.ac.uk/

Choose the Best Tool for Your Need: NoodleTools

Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html

Web 2.0 and New and Emerging Tools

What is Web 2.0?

refers to a perceived or proposed second generation of Web-based services—such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies—that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users.

Source: Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title

=Web_2.0&oldid=109754809

Web 2.0 Search Engines

Rich Internet Application Search Interfaces (RIAs)

Engines in this category offer a little something extra in terms of the interface

Kartoo

www.kartoo.com

Visual search engine

Meta tool which presents results in map

Analyses user’s search, questions the most relevant engines, selects the best sites and places them on a map

Visual Search EnginesGrokker -- www.grokker.com

Wiki(n.) A collaborative Web site comprises the perpetual collective work

of many authors.

a wiki allows anyone to edit, delete or modify content that has been placed on the Web site using a browser interface, including the work of previous authors

term wiki refers to either the Web site or the software used to create the site.

Wiki wiki means “quick” in Hawaiian

Source: ISP webopedia.com at http://isp.webopedia.com/TERM/W/wiki.html

Much Ado About Wikis

Wiki bunfight (accuracy of online information) New Scientist 190.2545 (April 1, 2006): p7(1). “According to the survey, in 42 matching pairs of science entries on topics from Agent Orange to the West Nile virus, Wikipedia made 162 errors, which "comes close" to its competitor's 123.”

…WikisJournal Gives Wikipedia High Marks for Accuracy, but Not for

Readability.(Nature )(Brief article). Dan Carnevale.         The Chronicle of Higher Education 52.19 (Jan 13, 2006)

“Other than errors, Nature's experts found that the Wikipedia entries were often poorly worded and confusing. While the information was generally reliable, the Nature article says, entries often lacked the nuance that a subject-matter expert could provide, as well as good editing.”

Use with caution!

Articles carry warning: “As with any community-built reference, there is a possibility for error in Wikipedia's content — please check your facts against multiple sources and read our disclaimers for more information.”

Directories of Wikis• Wikia.com www.wikia.com

A directory of wikis that is searchable and browsable by categories, language, and more.

• Wikinside A Google CSE that searches text within about 3,000 wikis

• WikiIndex.org wikiindex.org A wiki that is a directory of wikis

Search Strategies: Best Practices

See The Five Step Strategy at: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Strategies.html

Five-Step Strategy:

1. Analyze your topic to decide where to begin

2. Pick the right starting place

3. Learn as you go & VARY your approach with what you learn

4. Don't bog down in any strategy that doesn't work

5. Return to previous strategies better informed

Q & A

BibliographyAbilock, Debbie. “Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need.” NoodleTools. 21 Feb.

2007. 21 Feb. 2007

<http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html>

Avet, Traci. “Who’s Afraid of Google.” Library Journal.com June 1, 2006. 21 Feb. 2007<http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6337366.html>

Barker, Joe. “Search Strategies: Search with Peripheral Vision.” Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial. Aug. 2006. UC Berkeley Library. 21 Feb. 2007<http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Strategies.html>

“Beyond Google: Searching the Web More Effectively.” Nov. 2006. University of Washington Health Sciences Libraries. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/beyondgoogle.html>

Bibliography

Burns, Enid. “Top 10 Search Providers.” SearchEngineWatch Aug. 2007 . 19 Sept. 2007 <http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156451>

Carnevale, Dan. “Journal Gives Wikipedia High Marks for Accuracy, but Not for Readability.” The Chronicle of Higher Education 52.19 (2006) Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale.  Evergreen Valley College Lib. 21 Feb. 2007 

<http://0-find.galegroup.com.library.sjeccd.org:80>

Cohen, Laura. "The Deep Web." Internet Tutorials. 22 November 2006. University Libraries, U at Albany, State U of New York. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://www.internettutorials.net/deepweb.html>

Bibliography

Devine, Jane and Francine Egger-Sider. Beyond Google: The Invisible Web. June 2005. Laguardia Community College Library. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/invisibleweb/default.htm>

NoodleTools: Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need. July 2007. 24 Sept. 2007. <http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html >

Patterson, Ben. “Google.” [review] CNET Reviews. Edited by Robert Vamosi. May 2005. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://reviews.cnet.com/Google/4505-9239_7-31337412.html?tag=box>

“Wiki bunfight.” New Scientist 190.2545 (2006). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale.  Evergreen Valley College Lib. 25 Feb. 2007 <http://0-find.galegroup.com.library.sjeccd.org:80/>

Evaluation Survey Link

http://tinyurl.com/2gw2kb

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