searching the internet without a clear search strategy, using a search engine is like wandering...

Searching the Internet

Without a clear search Without a clear search strategystrategy, using a search , using a search engine is like wandering engine is like wandering

aimlessly in the stacks of a aimlessly in the stacks of a library trying to find a library trying to find a

particular book.particular book.

-Debbie Flanagan

Two Key Steps for Successful Searching

• You must Prepare your search.– identify the main concepts in your topic

• You need to know how to use the search tools available on the Internet. – What are these tools?

– How are they different?

– How to best make use of these tools?

What are the search tools?

An INDEX• It is not possible to search the WWW directly

– You search a search tool's database (collection of sites). The search

tool provides you with links to the pages you wish to retrieve.

• It is not possible to search the entire Web– Every search tool’s database contains a relatively small subset of

the entire World Wide

• 2 categories of useful search tools– Search Engines– Directories

To see the accompanying teacher’s notes: select “view” from the tool bar, followed by “notes page”


Subject Directories

• Called subject "trees“

– They start with a few main

categories and then branch out into subcategories, topics, and subtopics.

– Many large directories include a keyword search option which usually eliminates the need to work through numerous levels of topics and subtopics.

For example, if you are looking for the Atlanta Braves

Major League Baseball

Atlanta Braves

Recreation & Sports

Sports

Baseball

Teams

Subject Directories• Subject directories are created and

maintained by Humans• Because the web sites are carefully evaluated and hand-

selected, the have quality content

• Trees are most effective for finding general information

• Directories are useful for finding information on a topic when you don't have a precise idea of what you need.

• Directories cover only a small fraction of the pages available on the Web

Subject Directories

• There are 2 types of directories:

– directories for popular web sites– Looksmart, Yahoo, About.com,

– directories for scholarly subjects• Infomine, AcademicInfo, Internet Public Library,

Librarian’s Index to the Internet, The WWW Library, UBC Internat Resources by Academic Discipline

Search engines• Search engines rely on spiders (robots)

– Spiders are computer programs that crawl the Web and log the words on each page that they encounter.

– They find new pages following the links in the pages they already have in their catalogue (i.e., already "know about"). They cannot "decide" to go look up topics.

• Search engines scan their catalogue of web sites to match the keywords provided. They return a list of links to web sites containing the word/s specified.



Search Engines• Use a search engine to look for something

specific• Search engine catalogues are usually very large

(They often return thousands of results) • Different search engines can vary (size, accuracy,

features, and flexibility) so……. USE MORE THAN ONE (Teoma, AltaVista, Google)

• Avoid using Metacrawlers• They search several individual search engines simultaneously, but idea

of meta-searching is much better than the reality. To see the accompanying teacher’s notes: select “view” from the tool bar, followed by “notes page”


Comparing Subject Directories to Search Engines

• Use to find general information

• built by human selection

• often carefully evaluated and annotated (but not always!!)

• organised into subject categories, classification of pages by subjects

– subjects not standardised and vary according to the scope of each directory

• small and specialised to large, but smaller than most search engines

• Use to look for something specific

• built by computer robot programs

• UNevaluated -- contain the good, the bad, and the ugly -- YOU must evaluate everything

• all pages are ranked by a computer

• huge and often retrieve a lot of information – For complex searches use ones that allow

you to search within results (sub-searching)

– Without search strategies or techniques, finding what you need can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Two Key Steps for Successful Searching

• You must Prepare your search.– identify the main concepts in your topic

• You need to know how to use the search tools available on the Internet. – What are these tools?

– How are they different?

– How to best make use of these tools?How to best make use of these tools?



Do you REALLY know how to Search the Internet

You have surfed the internet before, but do you really know how to search?

– Most people simply type a few words into the query box and then scroll through whatever comes up.

• Sometimes their choice of words ends up narrowing the search unduly and causing them not to find what they're looking for.

• More often the end result of the search is a haystack of off-target web pages that must be combed through.

You can do better than that!You can do better than that!

How to Search the Internet

If only you had a super-sized net for capturing it!

-Bernie Dodge

The perfect page is out there somewhere. It's the page that has exactly the information you're looking for and to you it's beautiful and unattainable like a faraway star.

4 NETS for better searching Narrow, Exact, Trim, Search 4 Similar

• The WWW contains ~3 billion documents

– Do you want broad/specific (unique term or phrase) information?

– Are you looking for a narrow aspect of a topic with a huge web presence?

– Are you searching by title, subject, keyword, author

• If you know what you're after, why not start by asking for it as precisely as you can? Start Narrow!


Net 1: Start Narrow

KEYWORDSKEYWORDS: Break down the topic of your search into key concepts. Think of all the words that would always appear on the perfect page

•The WWW is not indexed in any standard vocabulary. You must guess:

•what words will be in the pages you want to find •what subject terms were chosen to organise the directory covering the topic •any synonyms, alternate spellings, or variant word forms for the concepts


Net 1: Start Narrow


Net 1: Start Narrow

DISTRACTING WORDSDISTRACTING WORDS:

• Think of all the distracting pages that might also turn up because one or more of your search terms has multiple meanings.

• What words might help you eliminate those pages?


Net 1: Start NarrowCOMBINE KEYWORDSCOMBINE KEYWORDS ANDAND EXCLUDE DISTRACTINGEXCLUDE DISTRACTING WORDSWORDS

using Boolean operators

= COMBINE +

WITH WITH ALLWITH ANY

AND/ORalternate spelling/

truncation

= EXCLUDE -WITHOUT

AND NOT

NOTE: •Search engines express this in several various ways, which are all equivalent.•Boolean operators must be typed in CAPITALS•AND is often implied (default)


Net 1: Start NarrowExamples of Boolean combining operators

• WITH ANY, OR (OR expands your search results)

• + (equivalent of AND),WITH ALL, AND (retrieves documents containing ALL the words ONLY, restricts your search results)

For example, • sustainable (agriculture or farming) =

sustainable and agriculture as well as sustainable and farming

• these terms are expressed in the amount of results per search: genetics < genetic AND databases < genetics OR databases

ACTIVITY #1

• Alternate spelling/truncation• Truncate to expand word endings and results

by applying * to the end of the search word– you retrieve that word plus all words with that

wordstem which have different endings• for example: chem* retrieves chemistry, chemists, chemicals rivers* retrieves rivers, Riverside, Riverside'sindustr* retrieves industries, industry, industrial,industrialization


Net 1: Start Narrow


Net 1: Start Narrow

Examples of Boolean excluding operators -, WITHOUT, AND NOT are all equivalent termsUse excluding operators to filter out the undesired web sites when you have a keyword that has multiple meanings.

For example:

Saturn + planet -car = Saturn the planet rather than Saturn the car

Activity #2

4 NETS for better searching Narrow, Exact, Trim, Search for Similar

Net 2:Find Exact Phrases• Typing EXACT PHRASE or the word in between brackets

( “word”) or the word in between “pipe” symbols (word), locates only pages in which the: 1-exact phrase, 2-complete phrase contains 3-those words together 4-in that order

For example:

• "new mexico”= new must appear next to mexico (#3) to get New Mexico in that order (#4). It does not retrieve Mexico and New Zealand or new fashions in Mexico. It retrieves New Mexico but does not retrieve University of New Mexico (#2).

• crime and |states| finds web sites about crime in individual states rather than the many more sites about crime in the United States nation-wide.


Net 2:Find Exact Phrases• Searching for exact phrases is obviously useful for

finding things that have a proper name consisting of several words (e.g., places, book titles, people).

• It's also useful if wish to locate something you can not remember

• If you suspect something was plagiarised, or at least heavily borrowed without attribution? Type in a phrase or two from the documented see if it turns up elsewhere!

• Searching for exact matches is also very useful when trying to evaluate the authenticity and integrity of an electronic source.

• Often you'll find a terrific page nestled deep down inside a folder inside a folder inside a folder. You suspect that there are other pages you'd find interesting nearby. How to you find them? Trim the URL step by step.

You found this Romeo & Juliet WebQuest that you really like. There are more like that where this one came from. Start here to find them:

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/webquests/shakespeare

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/webquests/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/

http://www.richmond.edu/


Net 3: Trim Back the URL

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/webquests/shakespeare/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/webquests/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/projects/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/education/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/a&s/

http://www.richmond.edu/academics/

http://www.richmond.edu/


Net 4: Search and look for similar pagesNet 4: Search and look for similar pages

• Searching furtherSearching further

– Use a search engine to find an appropriate subject Use a search engine to find an appropriate subject specific directoryspecific directory

– Search for the words web +directory and your topic.

• You can also try directory but you may wind up with membership directory,

phone directory, etc.

– Search by title, subject, keyword, authorSearch by title, subject, keyword, authore.g.: +title:"George Washington" +President +Martha

The above The above TITLE SEARCHTITLE SEARCH example instructs the search engine example instructs the search engine to return web pages where the phrase George Washington to return web pages where the phrase George Washington appears in the titleappears in the title and the words President and Martha and the words President and Martha appear appear somewhere on the page.somewhere on the page.


Net 4: Search and look for similar Net 4: Search and look for similar pagespages

• Searching furtherSearching further

– Searching by Searching by domaindomain search, allows you to search, allows you to limit results to that limit results to that domain:domain:

e.g.:+domain: uk +title:"Queen Elizabeth" +domain:edu +"lung cancer" +smok*

– Searching by host Searching by host URL (address)URL (address) can narrow can narrow very broad results to web pages devoted to the keyword very broad results to web pages devoted to the keyword topic.topic.

e.g: +url:halloween +title:stories url

e.g: http://home.sprintmail.sprintmail.com/~debflanagan/~debflanagan/main.html


Net 4: Search and look for similar Net 4: Search and look for similar pagespages

• Use the Use the LINK SEARCHLINK SEARCH when you want to know what when you want to know what Web site are linked to a particular site of interest, or Web site are linked to a particular site of interest, or you want to find similar pagesyou want to find similar pages. .

– Use this tool to find more of a good thing. Use it to find pages that are Use this tool to find more of a good thing. Use it to find pages that are linked to a page that you find useful. Chances are, those pages might linked to a page that you find useful. Chances are, those pages might be useful to you, too. Researchers use link searches for conducting be useful to you, too. Researchers use link searches for conducting backward citations.backward citations.

• There is also ego surfingThere is also ego surfing– if you've uploaded a page of your own to a public server and it's been if you've uploaded a page of your own to a public server and it's been

there for awhile, find out who else is linking to it.there for awhile, find out who else is linking to it.

link:www.pepsi.com

link:www.ipl.org/ref/

Searching the Internet

• Prepare your search• Choose whether you want to use a

search engine or a subject directory• Start Narrow

– use Boolean operators– Truncate

• Find Exact Phrases• Trim Back the URL• Search and look for similar pagesSearch and look for similar pages

• complex carbohydrates suggestions: (complex -shopping -sports -movie) + legume* AND (bio* OR nutrition OR metabol*) AND "complex carbohydrates"complex but not shopping, sports or movie complex (as center) and legume/s and something related to the field of biochemistry/biology or nutrition or metabolism/metabolites

• The cause of heart disease suggestions: medic* OR health "web directory” retieves ( Heart failure, Heart attack, Heart murmur, Heartburn, Heat stroke and exhaustion. You could also try with a search engine: (medic*OR health) AND (web + directory) AND (patholog* OR cause) AND (heart OR Coronary) AND "heart disease".

Examples

Bernie Dodge. “4 NETS for better searching Google.” http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/fournets.htm Last updated March 12, 2002 (April 1, 2002)

Joe Barker. “FINDING INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET” Library, University of California, Berkeley. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ by Last update 10/3/00. Server manager: [email protected] (April 1, 2002)

Debbie Flanagan. “ Web Search Strategies” http://home.sprintmail.com/~debflanagan/main.html. Fort Lauderdale, FL (April 2002)

Special Thanks to:

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/bdodge.html

Evaluating Web pages

Assessing the Authenticity and

Integrity of Sources

Tricks for Evaluating Web pages

• What can the URL (address) tell you?

• Who wrote the page? Is the author a qualified authority?

• Is the page dated? Current, timely?

• Is the information cited authentic?

• Is the page a reliable source?

• What's the bias of the web site?

• Could the page or site be ironic, a spoof?

What can the URL (address) tell you?• What type of domain does it come from?

• Is it appropriate for the content?– .com = a commercial business

.edu = an educational institution

.gov or gouv = a governmental institution

.org = a non-profit organization

.mil = a military site

.net = a network site

• Who "published" the page? • the agency or person operating the “server”“server” computer from which

the document is issued

• Is it somebody's personal page? • Look for a personal name following a tilde ( ~ ) or or the word

"users" or "people.

E.g: http://home.sprintmail.sprintmail.com/~debflanagan/main.html

Who wrote the page? Is the author a qualified

authority?• Look for a name and e-mail.

Often in the "About us" or "Contact us” section

Except in personal pages, the author is usually not the same person as the page designer (person hired to put the content on the web)

Are the author's credentials provided? Is he or her a reliable authority on the subject?

If there's no credential section, learn what you can by truncating elements of the address: delete the end characters of the URL stopping just before each slash (/) (leave the slash). See if you can find out about the origins/nature of the site providing the page. Repeat, one slash at a time...

Is the page dated? Current, timely?

• When was the page updated last? Can you tell how much was updated? Is this important for the timeliness of what you want to know?

Look at Netscape's "Page Info" (right click in the page, or look under View | Page Info). If this is out of date, be suspicious of a stale page. If current, be suspicious that Page Info was changed but nothing else.

• Is the date appropriate for the content? Is it "stale” information on a time-sensitive or evolving topic?

CAUTION: Undated factual or statistical information is no better than anonymous information. Don't use it.

Is the information cited authentic?

• If the page claims to be from an established newspaper, journal, organisation, institution, agency, is it the real one?

Check if the domain name corresponds to the source. (gov, org, mil)

Is it unmodified if it claims to be a reproduction, of a published piece?

It is really easy to copy and tinker with the content of a page and put it back on the web with copies of the original logo, banners, credits, and other information. Locate the original to be sure (either elsewhere on the Web -exact phrase search- or try the library (ask at a reference desk for help).

Is the information cited authentic?

(continued)

• Is the source of factual or attributed information well documented?

Unless a known, reputable publisher or institution vouches for the content, require for your research that sources and claims be substantiated by links to reliable sources or references (notes or footnotes as in a published work).

CAUTION: Standards for footnoting and citing where people obtained information (and when) are very lax on the Web. If you don't have the source and date for attributed information, find it or don't use the information.

Is the page a reliable source?

What's the purpose of the page? Why was it created?

To Inform? Explain? Facts or data? Persuade, promote? Sell? Share, disclose? Rant? Entice?

Who else links to the page? Where is it "cited"? Look for awards (or links to an "Awards" page). Do not take the

award at face value without checking it out.

Use a search engine to see who links to the page.* Then visit some of those sites to see what they say about the page in question.

*precede the URL by the term “link:” e.g link:www.whitehouse.net

What's the bias of the web site?

• Who sponsors the page? Might the sponsors have a vested interest in the viewpoint presented?

Look for links to "sponsors," "About us,”. Advertisers can also be sponsors. Could the points of view be constrained or bent to keep or attract advertisers? Are there links to other viewpoints? Balanced? Annotated? Anything not said that could be said? Try to think of alternative viewpoints, and ask if they are represented or linked to.

• Look for your own bias: Are you being completely fair? Too harsh? Totally objective?

Requiring the same degree of "proof" you would from a print publication? Is the site good for some things and not for others? Are your hopes biasing your interpretation?

Could the page or site be ironic, a spoof?

Think about the "tone" of the page. Humorous? Parody? Exaggerated? Overblown

arguments? Outrageous photographs or juxtaposition of unlikely images? Arguing a viewpoint with examples that suggest that what is argued is ultimately not possible.

Perform all the other tests above on the page, and, if you do not find other information to explain the tone, question whether the page is an irony that you might feel foolish to cite as if it were factual or straightforward.

Copyright (C) 1995-2001 by the Library, University of California, Berkeley. All rights

reserved.Document created & maintained on server: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ by Joe BarkerLast update 26Nov2001. Server manager:

[email protected].

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS

BE CRITICAL!

Types of On-line References

• The World Wide Web (WWW) – (web sites)

• Electronic Publications and Online Databases

• Publications available through library, medline

• Online Reference Sources– Online dictionnaries, online encyclopedias

The World Wide Web (WWW)

Scientific Style• Give the author's last name and initials (if known) and the

date of publication in parentheses.

• Next, list the full title of the work, capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns; the title of the complete work or site (if applicable) in italics, again capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns; any version or file numbers, enclosed in parentheses

• the protocol and address, including the path or directories necessary to access the document

• the date accessed, enclosed in parentheses.

Burka, L. P. (1993). A hypertext history of multi-user dimensions. MUD history. http://www.utopia.com/talent/ lpb/muddex/essay (2 Aug. 1996).

Electronic Publications and Online

Databases Scientific Style

• List the author's last name and initials

• the date of publication, in parentheses

• the title of the article or file and, enclosed in parentheses, any identifying file or version numbers or other identifying information (if applicable)

• the title of the electronic database, in italics

• the name of the online service, in italics

• access information or the protocol and address and any directory paths

• the date accessed in parentheses,

Warren, C. (1996). Working to ensure a secure and comprehensive peace in the Middle East (U.S. Dept. of State Dispatch 7:14). FastDoc. OCLC (File #9606273898). (12 Aug. 1996).

Online Reference Sources Scientific Style

• Give the author's last name and initials

• the publication date (if known and if different from the date accessed); and the title of the article

• cite the word "In," followed by the name(s) of the author(s) or editor(s) (if applicable) and, in italics, the title of the complete work; any previous print publication information (if applicable); identification of the online edition (if applicable)

• the name of the online service, in italics, or the protocol and address and the path followed to access the material

• the date accessed in parentheses

Fine arts. (1993). In E. D. Hirsch, Jr., J. F. Kett, & J. Trefil (Eds.), Dictionary of cultural literacy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. INSO Corp. America Online. Reference Desk/Dictionaries/Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (20 May 1996).

searching the internet without a clear search strategy, using a search engine is like wandering...

Documents

search engines search

search tools available

individual search engines

keyword search option

clear search strategy

web slide

large directories

types of directories