search like a pro: sources and strategies for conducting effective research
TRANSCRIPT
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Search Like a Pro: Sources and Strategies for Conducting Effective Research
CICBV Webinar - Nov. 30, 2016
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What do you do when you can’t find the information you’re looking for on Google?
WHY don’t you find what you need on Google?
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THE THREE SINS OF SEARCH
Limiting the search to Google as the only search engine
Assuming the information can be found through Google
Not using Google effectively
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY1
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Source: Google Inside Search, “How Search Works” https://www.google.com/insidesearch/howsearchworks/thestory/index.html
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Change your settings on Google.ca
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Change your settings of Google.ca◦Change the number of results per
page
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Change your settings on Google's "My Activity" site; delete your history and turn it off
More on searching and browsing privately: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/4540094
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Develop your search strategy◦Brainstorm for keywords, synonyms,
and alternative terms◦Create search query by grouping
keywords and concepts◦Execute search and analyze results◦Modify query and repeat
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Brainstorm for keywords, synonyms, and alternative terms◦Industry forecasts for electric cars
Cars Forecast
Vehicles Trend
Automobiles Outlook
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Use synonyms and alternative terms
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Create search query by grouping keywords and concepts◦(electric cars OR electric vehicles OR
electric automobiles) (trends OR forecast OR outlook)
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Execute search and analyze results using the CRAAP test◦ Currency: The timeliness of the information◦ Relevance: The importance of the
information for your needs◦ Authority: The source of the information◦ Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and
correctness of the content, and◦ Purpose: The reason the information exists
Source: http://libguides.library.ncat.edu/content.php?pid=53820&sid=394505
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Rinse and repeat◦Search is iterative◦New information and sources lead to
modifications and additional searches
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Terms and their order matter
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Terms and their order matter
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Use Boolean operators◦Exact phrase - “electric cars” (also
works with single words to force Google to search for the exact word)
◦OR - “electric cars” OR “electric vehicles” OR “electric automobiles”
◦Exclude terms with minus sign - “electric vehicles” -bicycles -bikes
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Use Google’s advanced search operators◦ Filetype: command will limit results to a specific
document type “marketability discount” OR “discount for lack of marketability” filetype:ppt OR filetype:pptx
◦ Intitle: command will limit results to webpages and documents that have your term in the title intitle:“marketability discount” OR intitle:“discount for lack of marketability”
◦ Site: command will limit results to a specific site or domain type (electric cars OR electric vehicles OR electric automobiles) (forecast OR trend OR outlook) site:.org
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Use Google’s limiters◦Date limiter
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Use the Wayback Machine for point-in-time captures◦To pull up all archived pages for a site:
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.SITENAME.EXT/*
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Use Google’s limiters◦Country limiter
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Pay attention to Images
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USE GOOGLE EFFECTIVELY
Combine them!◦Use Google’s Advanced Search screen
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USE OTHER SEARCH ENGINES2
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USE OTHER SEARCH ENGINESGoogle vs. Bing: “electric vehicles” “industry trends”
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USE OTHER SEARCH ENGINES
Bing◦ Second-most
popular search engine
◦ More consumer-oriented than Google
◦ Advanced search operators
Yandex◦ Russian
search engine◦ Excellent
advanced commands
◦ Advanced search operators
◦ Advanced search screen
DuckDuckGo◦ Completely
anonymous searching
◦ Uses Bing and other indexes
◦ Advanced search operators
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Million Short◦ Removes the most
popular sites◦ Uses Bing’s index◦ Excellent for long-tail,
niche searches
USE OTHER SEARCH ENGINES
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Zanran◦ “Google for data” ◦ Identifies data-rich
tables, graphs, charts, etc.
◦ Provides additional options for narrowing down the search
USE OTHER SEARCH ENGINES
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USE OTHER SEARCH ENGINES
Look out forAuthority
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USE THE “HIDDEN WEB” AND PREMIUM DATABASES3
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USE THE “HIDDEN WEB”
◦Not indexed by search engines
◦Estimated to be 500x larger than the surface web
◦Includes catalogues, databases, government records, premium resources, etc.
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USE THE “HIDDEN WEB”
Look out forAuthority
Find the front page◦ Combine search terms with database
OR dataset to find links to searchable resources
◦ Combine search terms with resources OR portal OR “online tool” to find further links
◦ Look for industry associations or trade journals
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USE THE “HIDDEN WEB”
Look out forAuthority
Look out forAuthority
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Millie◦ Good source of
industry news for a number of industries
◦ Customizable dashboards and advanced search capabilities
USE THE “HIDDEN WEB”
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USE PREMIUM DATABASES
Look out forAuthority
Lower-cost or pay-as-you-go options ◦ BVResources ◦ Alacra Premium• Over 150 databases (including
transactions databases, industry reports, analyst reports, etc.)
• Per-per-view pricing model
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USE A PROFESSIONAL
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USE A PROFESSIONAL
Look out forAuthority
Use the experts◦ Your firm’s librarians/research
specialists◦ AIIP (Association of Independent Info
rmation Professionals) - “Knowledge Delivered”
