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Searching Intelligently

Searching Intelligently. How to do better research using your favorite search engine. Today’s Goals – To Learn. How is the web indexed? Google in particular. Which tool to use searching the web? Search engines, directories, hidden web, listservs and online discussion groups.

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Searching Intelligently

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  1. Searching Intelligently How to do better research using your favorite search engine. Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  2. Today’s Goals – To Learn • How is the web indexed? • Google in particular. • Which tool to use searching the web? • Search engines, directories, hidden web, listservs and online discussion groups. • Drawbacks and advantages of the web. • Browser tips and research power tools. • Horizontal searching. Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  3. How Search Engines Work • Discovery and Database • User Search • Presentation and Ranking Source: http://www.webreference.com/content/search/ Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  4. Google Background • “Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.” • Google's founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed Google in a Stanford University dorm room and it is currently the world's largest search engine. Source: http://www.google.com/corporate/ Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  5. Google’s Discovery and Database • Google has programs called spiders (a.k.a. Google bots) constantly searching the web for new or updated web pages • When a spider finds a new or updated page, it reads that entire page, reports back to Google, and then visits all of the other pages to which that new page links Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  6. Google’s Cache • When the spider reports back to Google, it doesn’t just tell Google the new or updated page’s URL. • The spider also sends Google a complete copy of the entire Web page – HTML, text, images, etc. • Google then adds that page and all of its content to Google’s cache. Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  7. How Google Works • When you search for multiple keywords, Google first searches for all of your keywords as a phrase. • So, if your keywords are baseball spring training, any pages on which those words appear as a phrase receive a score of X. Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  8. Google – Adjacency • Google then measures the adjacency between your keywords and gives those pages a score of Y. • A page with “baseball spring training” next to each other gets a higher score than one with “baseball” and then “spring training” farther down the page Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  9. Google - Weights • Then, Google measures the number of times your keywords appear on the page (the keywords’ “weights”) and gives those pages a score of Z. Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  10. Presentation & Ranking • Google takes • The phrase hits (the Xs), • The adjacency hits (the Ys), • The weights hits (the Zs), and • About 100 other secret variables • Throws out everything but the top 2,000 • Multiplies each remaining page’s individual score by it’s “PageRank” • And, finally, displays the top 1,000 in order. Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  11. Google – PageRank? • There is a premise in higher education that the importance of a research article can be judged by the number of citations to it from subsequent articles in the same field. • Google applies this premise to the Web: the importance of a Web page can be judged by the number of hyperlinks pointing to it from other pages. Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  12. Google Advanced & Tricks • Calculator • Define • ~, +, - • Advanced Searching • Finding Information on the Internet a Tutorial Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  13. My Favorite Quote: • “Focus on users and their tasks, not the technology.” – Jeff Johnson Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  14. When Searching the Web: • “Focus on your query, not the technology.” Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  15. Four tools: • Search Engines • Directories • Invisible Web (Deep Web) • Listservs and Online Discussion Groups Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  16. Which Tool to Use? • “It all Depends.” Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  17. When to use a Search Engine: • You are looking for the “Society of American Registered Architects.” • You have a specific phrase or unique keyword Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  18. Which Search Engines are Used? Source: http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156431 Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  19. Rating Search Engines • Search Engine Watch • Search Engine Showdown Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  20. Problems With Search Engines: • Speed response eliminates some documents • Bias toward text • User expectation and skills • Costs of crawling • Metasearch engine: jux2 Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  21. When to Use a Directory: • “I’m looking for sites on American Architecture.” • Broad category • Early in your research • Opposing viewpoints Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  22. Sample Directories • Google Directory • Internet Scout Project • Internet Resources Columns • Targeted Directories:Classics Resources Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  23. Problems With Directories: • SmallEditorial policies • Timeliness • Charging for listing Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  24. Hidden/Invisible Web • Searchable databases • Excluded pages Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  25. When to use the Invisible Web: • “I’m looking for a list of architects in Baltimore.” • “I need a specific statistic on the death rate of women with heart disease in 2002.” • “I’m looking for information on a plane crash in Salem, OR in 1979.” Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  26. How to Find the Hidden Web • Google: • Databases + your topic • Searching general web directories • Librarians Index • Infomine Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  27. When to use a Listserv? • “If I’m looking for an opinion on a particular topic.” Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  28. How to Find a Listserv: • Tile.net • Google: “topic” and listserv • Google Groups Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  29. Browser Tips & Tools • Bookmarks (personal toolbars) – Del.icio.us • History • ConQuery (search plugins) • Journal Title List • Creative Commons • Open WorldCat via Google • Bookmarklets • Tabs, Tabs, Tabs Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  30. Horizontal Searching • Use the web in conjunction with library catalogs and databases • Search the Web for titles of articles • Locate more bibliographies that can be incorporated into new searches for books, journal articles, etc. • Search for authors from books and articles Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  31. Horizontal Searching:Search a Library Database Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  32. Horizontal Searching:Search title of article on the Web Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  33. Horizontal Searching:Follow citations from Web site Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  34. Horizontal Searching:Search Book Title in the Library Catalog Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  35. Horizontal Searching:Follow subject headings from article Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  36. Horizontal Searching:Follow cited references / and search Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  37. Horizontal Searching:Organization Web sites and Official Reports Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  38. Horizontal Searching:Contact actual researchers on the topic Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  39. Wrap Up: • Know how the web is indexed and collected. • Choose the correct tool for your question. • Realize more than one tool may be needed. • Carefully evaluate whatever you find on the Web. • Think horizontally in searching: library databases, Web, bibliography, Web, library catalog, Web, reference book, Web… Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

  40. Bibliography • Cohen Laura (2001) 10 tips for teaching how to surf the Web. American Libraries, 32, 44-46. • Sherman, C., Price, G. (2001). The Invisible Web: Uncovering Information Sources Search Engines Can't See. Medford, N.J.: Information Today, Inc. • Dale Vidmar’s: Horizontal Searching • Linda Goff’s: Googling to the Max Bill G. Kelm - Spring 2007

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