vandenbosch2010 04-13search the-internet

How to Search the Internet More Effectively?Tom Vandenbosch t.vandenbosch@cgiar.org

Introduction: research and the Introduction: research and the InternetInternet The Internet can be a The Internet can be a

great tool for research, great tool for research, but finding quality web but finding quality web materials and using materials and using them to your them to your advantage can be advantage can be challenging.challenging.

By the end of this By the end of this session, you should be session, you should be able to do a more able to do a more targeted Internet targeted Internet search.search.

Outline of the presentation

How search works Selecting keywords Your search toolbox

Basic search Advanced search Search options Google Scholar, Google Books

Validating web sources Some final words

Outline of the presentation

How search works Selecting keywords Your search toolbox

Basic search Advanced search Search options Google Scholar, Google Books

Validating web sources Some final words

How search works

Outline of the presentation

How search works Selecting keywords Your search toolbox

Basic search Advanced search Search options Google Scholar, Google Books

Validating web sources Some final words

Keyword search...

What now?

discussion

Search techniques:How can I find what I'm looking for?

1 2

3 4

Think how the page you are looking for will be written.

Use the words that are most likely to appear on the page.

Describe what you need with as few terms as possible.

Choose descriptive words.

Tips for selecting keywords

How to find those “perfect keys”?

1. What is it I’m looking for? (think about common keywords)

2. How would someone else talk about it? (what words would they use? how would THEY describe it?)

3. Which of those terms would be most common?

4. Which of those terms would be very specialized to this topic?

5. What kind of thing would make me happy? (do I want a single web page, a definition, a collection, an image.... or …?)

Outline of the presentation

How search works Selecting keywords Your search toolbox

Basic search Advanced search Search options Google Scholar, Google Books

Validating web sources Some final words

Basic search commands

“…” Exact phrase “I hate the Internet”- To exclude a search

term (forbidden terms)

cow -mad

* Words starting with people*

NEAR

Adjacent words trees NEAR farms

AND+

To require all search terms

agroforestry AND Faidherbia+agroforestry +Faidherbia

OR To require any search terms

Project OR programme

Advanced search commands

filetype:

Restrict search to specific filetype

zoology filetype:ppt

site: Specific domain or country search

site:.edu, site:.ke, site:.org

related:

Web pages similar to a specified web page

related:iucn.org

after: Modified after a given date

after:MM/DD/YYYY

before: Modified before a given date

before:MM/DD/YYYY

define: Provides a definition of words

define:agroforestry

What happens if you click on Show options ? 

Search options

Using search options

Using advanced search

Advanced search

Advanced search

Advanced search

Language tools

Language tools

Google Scholar

http://scholar.google.com Peer-reviewed papers, theses, books,

abstracts, and other scholarly literature

Google Books

http://books.google.com Google Book Search index matches

your search terms—you see “Book Results.” These links will lead you to a library or online store where you may borrow or purchase the books.

Outline of the presentation

How search works Selecting keywords Your search toolbox

Basic search Advanced search Search options Google Scholar, Google Books

Validating web sources Some final words

Validate the authority

Pair share brainstorm ideas:

How do you decide ifsomething is true?

discussion

Why evaluate web sources?Why evaluate web sources?Why evaluate web sources?Why evaluate web sources?

Any person can publish Any person can publish anything on the Internet.anything on the Internet.

Web sources do not have Web sources do not have to be professionally to be professionally accepted or edited.accepted or edited.

Some personal sites are Some personal sites are used to express individual used to express individual opinions about issues, but opinions about issues, but not necessarily the facts.not necessarily the facts.

You be the judgeYou be the judge Who is the author?Who is the author? Who is the Who is the

publisher?publisher? What is the point of What is the point of

view?view? Are there Are there

references to other references to other sources?sources?

How current is the How current is the information?information?

……

Examine for credibilityExamine for credibilityExamine for credibilityExamine for credibility

Credibility may be Credibility may be compromised by compromised by intentional intentional misinformation or by misinformation or by unintentional neglect.unintentional neglect.

Locating the name of the Locating the name of the sitesite’’s creator may be s creator may be challenging. challenging.

Credentials may be Credentials may be missing even if the authomissing even if the authorr ’’s name is provided.s name is provided.

Organic results and sponsored links

Sponsored links (advertising)

Organic (or natural) search results

Outline of the presentation

How search works Selecting keywords Your search toolbox

Basic search Advanced search Search options Google Scholar, Google Books

Validating web sources Some final words

Some final wordsSome final words There is also the There is also the Deep Hidden WebDeep Hidden Web, or the , or the

Invisible WebInvisible Web.. The Internet is not the only place to find The Internet is not the only place to find

information. While it abounds with a wealth information. While it abounds with a wealth of information, it is not as good for historical of information, it is not as good for historical information. information.

Visiting the library should always be a Visiting the library should always be a consideration in conducting research.consideration in conducting research.

Visit Visit http://tinyurl.com/pb48m to view the to view the pros and cons with library vs. Internet pros and cons with library vs. Internet research.research.