Stop Searching and Start FINDING: Stop Searching and Start FINDING: Strategies for Effective Web ResearchStrategies for Effective Web Research

Created by:Created by:

Patrick Douglas CrispenPatrick Douglas Crispen

Modified by: Mr. CarmichaelModified by: Mr. Carmichael

Our goals today ...Our goals today ...

• Discover the biggest mistakes made by Discover the biggest mistakes made by most Internet users: most Internet users: – Typing search terms in the wrong box.Typing search terms in the wrong box.– Using the wrong tool at the wrong time.Using the wrong tool at the wrong time.

• Talk about the differences between Talk about the differences between directories and search engines (and when directories and search engines (and when to use each.)to use each.)

• Learn some advanced Google searching Learn some advanced Google searching techniques.techniques.

• DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!

The Biggest MistakeThe Biggest Mistake

Typing search terms in the Typing search terms in the wrong boxwrong box

Whitefish Bulldogs

The Second Biggest MistakeThe Second Biggest Mistake

Using the wrong tool at the Using the wrong tool at the wrong timewrong time

Three questionsThree questions

• Where would you find the telephone Where would you find the telephone number or address of the Whitefish number or address of the Whitefish SchoolSchool– A telephone bookA telephone book

• Where you would find the definition of the Where you would find the definition of the word “pestilence?”word “pestilence?”– A dictionaryA dictionary

• Where would you find the name of the war Where would you find the name of the war that the Treaty of Westphalia ended?that the Treaty of Westphalia ended?– An encyclopediaAn encyclopedia

What would happen if you tried What would happen if you tried to look up the definition of the to look up the definition of the

word “pestilence” in the word “pestilence” in the telephone book?telephone book?

YAHOO ISN’T A YAHOO ISN’T A SEARCH ENGINE!SEARCH ENGINE!

... it is a directory.... it is a directory.

DirectoriesDirectories

• Usually human-Usually human-compiled guides to compiled guides to the web, where the web, where sites are organized sites are organized by categoryby category

• Major directories:Major directories:– MSNMSN– YahooYahoo– Netscape ODPNetscape ODP

What directories are good for ...What directories are good for ...

• ““What is the Web page address for some What is the Web page address for some company, organization, or entity?” (or company, organization, or entity?” (or “who makes product X?”)“who makes product X?”)

• ““Where can I find a list of Web pages that Where can I find a list of Web pages that focus on a particular, ‘universal’ topic?”focus on a particular, ‘universal’ topic?”

• In other words, directories are In other words, directories are GREATGREAT for for

“telephone book”“telephone book” searches. searches.

What directories AREN’T good for ...What directories AREN’T good for ...

• Directories are Directories are horriblehorrible for for “encyclopedia” or “dictionary” “encyclopedia” or “dictionary” searches.searches.

• The only exception is if the topic is The only exception is if the topic is so universal that the directories have so universal that the directories have no choice but to link to a page or two no choice but to link to a page or two that discuss that topic (and even that discuss that topic (and even then the selection will be slim.)then the selection will be slim.)

Search Engines have three parts:Search Engines have three parts:

1.1. A spider (also called A spider (also called a "crawler" or a a "crawler" or a "bot")"bot") that goes to that goes to every page or every page or representative pages representative pages on every Web site on every Web site that wants to be that wants to be searchable and reads searchable and reads it, using hypertext it, using hypertext links on each page to links on each page to discover and read a discover and read a site's other pages.site's other pages.

Search Engines have three parts:Search Engines have three parts:

2.2. A program that A program that creates a huge creates a huge index (sometimes index (sometimes called a called a "catalog")"catalog") from from the pages that the pages that have been read. have been read.

Search Engines have three parts:Search Engines have three parts:

3.3. A program that A program that receives your receives your search request, search request, compares it to compares it to the entries in the the entries in the index, and index, and returns resultsreturns results to to you. you.

-- Courtesy searchenginewatch.com

Directories v Search EnginesDirectories v Search Engines

• Directories are Directories are human-compiledhuman-compiled and have and have a small number of pages in their a small number of pages in their databases (usually in the low millions)databases (usually in the low millions)

• Search engines are Search engines are machine-compiledmachine-compiled and and have a have a HUGEHUGE number of pages in their number of pages in their databases (usually in the hundreds of databases (usually in the hundreds of millions or even the billions)millions or even the billions)

The Second Biggest Mistake -- The Second Biggest Mistake -- RestatedRestated

Using a directory as if it was a Using a directory as if it was a search engine ... and then not search engine ... and then not understanding why you can’t understanding why you can’t

find anything!find anything!

Top search sites – January 2002Top search sites – January 2002

1.1. MSNMSN

2.2. YahooYahoo

3.3. GoogleGoogle

4.4. AOLAOL

5.5. Ask JeevesAsk Jeeves

6.6. LookSmartLookSmart

7.7. InfospaceInfospace

8.8. OvertureOverture

9.9. NetscapeNetscape

10.10.AltaVistaAltaVista

-- Courtesy Jupiter Media Metrix

Which ones are directories?Which ones are directories?

1.1. MSNMSN

2.2. YahooYahoo

3.3. GoogleGoogle

4.4. AOLAOL

5.5. Ask JeevesAsk Jeeves

6.6. LookSmartLookSmart

7.7. InfospaceInfospace

8.8. OvertureOverture

9.9. Netscape ODPNetscape ODP

10.10.AltaVistaAltaVista

Secondary resultsSecondary results

• Most directories Most directories use a search use a search engine as a backup engine as a backup (Yahoo and (Yahoo and Netscape use Netscape use Google, almost Google, almost everyone else uses everyone else uses Inktomi)Inktomi)

• Why add the extra Why add the extra step?step?

How the sites stack upHow the sites stack up

• Most directories Most directories (like MSN and (like MSN and AOL) link to 2 or 3 AOL) link to 2 or 3 million pages.million pages.

• Most search Most search engines (like engines (like AltaVista and AltaVista and Google) link to Google) link to hundreds of hundreds of millionsmillions of pages. of pages.

-- Courtesy searchenginewatch.com

Why do people predominantly Why do people predominantly use directories when search use directories when search engines have more stuff?engines have more stuff?

Because no one ever takes the Because no one ever takes the time to teach us how to use a time to teach us how to use a

search engine!search engine!

The Third Biggest MistakeThe Third Biggest Mistake

Not knowing how to use Not knowing how to use directories or search engines to directories or search engines to

actually actually FINDFIND stuff stuff

Search engine rule #1Search engine rule #1

Be specific ... because Be specific ... because if you aren’t specific, if you aren’t specific, you’ll end up with a you’ll end up with a bunch of garbage!bunch of garbage!

Search engine rule #2Search engine rule #2

Use quotes to search Use quotes to search for phrases.for phrases.

““Middle Ages”Middle Ages”

Use quotes for phrasesUse quotes for phrases

• This works on every This works on every search engine and search engine and directory but Direct directory but Direct Hit, LookSmart, and Hit, LookSmart, and MSN Search.MSN Search.

• BUT, quotes do work BUT, quotes do work for LookSmart's for LookSmart's Inktomi results.Inktomi results.

• At MSN Search, it’s At MSN Search, it’s unpredictable about unpredictable about when this works.when this works.

Search engine rule #3Search engine rule #3

Use the + sign to Use the + sign to require.require.

Gary + CarmichaelGary + Carmichael

Use the + sign to requireUse the + sign to require

• This works on This works on every search every search engine and engine and directory but directory but LookSmart.LookSmart.

• But, the plus sign But, the plus sign does work for does work for LookSmart's LookSmart's Inktomi results.Inktomi results.

Search engine rule #4Search engine rule #4

Use the - sign to exclude.Use the - sign to exclude.

Carmichael - DiscoveryCarmichael - Discovery

Use the - sign to excludeUse the - sign to exclude

• This works on every This works on every search engine and search engine and directory but directory but LookSmartLookSmart

• But, the - sign does But, the - sign does work for LookSmart's work for LookSmart's Inktomi results.Inktomi results.

• Also, the - sign will not Also, the - sign will not work for work for preprogrammed preprogrammed results to popular results to popular queries at MSN Search.queries at MSN Search.

The five rulesThe five rules

1.1. Be specific ... because if you aren’t Be specific ... because if you aren’t specific, you’ll end up with a bunch of specific, you’ll end up with a bunch of garbage!garbage!

2.2. Use quotes to search for phrases.Use quotes to search for phrases.

3.3. Use the + sign to require.Use the + sign to require.

4.4. Use the - sign to exclude.Use the - sign to exclude.

5.5. Combine symbols as often as possible Combine symbols as often as possible

On to the Research!!!On to the Research!!!

Domain abbreviations (last three characters in URL or address)

edu - Educational institutions

com - Commercial businesses

gov - U.S. government

mil - The U.S. military

org - Other organizations

net - Network/Internet Service Providers

~ - In a URL address, means an individual is responsible for the contents

.us .jp .uk ca. wfps.k12.mt.us

Stop Searching and Start FINDINGStop Searching and Start FINDING

PowerPoint created by Patrick PowerPoint created by Patrick Douglas Crispen.Douglas Crispen.

This version modified for class use This version modified for class use by Mr. Cby Mr. C