Advanced searching

1. Advanced searching All you wanted to know … © Tefko Saracevic

2. Advanced (Encarta) More highly developed … at a higher stage of development or progress than other similar people or things Advanced searching that about sums it up it is searching at a higher level of complexity without which search goals cannot be achieved Definitions © Tefko Saracevic

3. Definition Heuristic (Encarta) problem solving by trial and error a method of solving a problem for which no formula exists, based on informal methods or experience, and employing a form of trial and error (iteration) using or arrived at by a process of trial and error rather than set rules a rule of thumb commonsense rules indented to increase the probability of solving some problem © Tefko Saracevic

4. Advanced searching is a HEURISTIC process • It means that searching is a trial & error process & an iterative process • It means that searcher can modify a search in response to results or user • It is a base for search progression toward more effective results • And it is a behind advanced search strategy and tactics © Tefko Saracevic

5. Goals of advanced searching • achieve higher levels of effectiveness • getting more relevant, missing more irrelevant stuff • and at higher level of efficiency • saving on overall time, cost, effort • center search toward answers & resources most likely to be effective • also: focus unfocused searches & • get ideas how to proceed • use all available system features for goals • act as an professional (extreme) searcher © Tefko Saracevic

6. In fact • Any & all vendors & search engines have advanced search features • most studies show that users use them rarely, if at all • In principle most are the same • But in application they differ from vendor to vendor, engine to engine – sometimes greatly • need to be learned individually. What a bummer! • cannot be taken that what & how works in one works elsewhere – even though similarities are there © Tefko Saracevic

7. Levels of advanced searching • Advanced searching possible at several levels • strategic • using different approaches to fit circumstances or context independent of but adapted to a system used • tactical • using system features to the hilt to achieve given objectives • but as said, features may & do differ from system to system © Tefko Saracevic

8. Reminder • Search strategy (big picture): • overall approach to searching of a question • decisions on search resource(s), content & format • variations in these as a search progresses • Search tactics (action choices) (small picture): • choices & variations in search statements, query • terms, connectors, attributes … • using capabilities of a system to the hilt to achieve desired results © Tefko Saracevic

9. A search strategy is • The entire approach to a search – selection of • files and sources to use • approaches in proceeding to search & combining • search terms • operators to use • fields to search • formats for viewing results • alternative actions if search yields • too much • too little • problem-solving heuristics © Tefko Saracevic

10. Search tactics is • A query - command line entered into a system in order to retrieve relevant information • terms, operators & attributes as allowed by a given system • vocabulary & syntax used in conjunction with connectors &/or limiters to search a system • Again: depends on a system how it is done • for example, a search statement in DIALOG might be: b 47; ss (garbanzo? or chickpeas) and (hum?us or humus) • how would you do that in ? © Tefko Saracevic

11. Briefsearch also sometimes called meatball search or quick & dirty search Building block search Citation pearl growing search Some major strategies © Tefko Saracevic

12. Briefsearch • Takes little planning & is fast • searcher gets on to the system quickly, & enters terms using default (or simple Boolean) operators • only a few terms are used • there is no or little reiteration & limited interaction between searcher & system • Can also be used for verification purposes • Results can be examined for relevance feedback • Not recommended for comprehensive searches • Widely used by users generally © Tefko Saracevic

13. Building block strategy • Commonly used search strategy • start small & then build upon results • identification: each important concept or facet of a search is identified • elaboration: for each facet terms are identified • combination: search starts with one or just a few facets; as it progresses additional facets are connected using appropriate Boolean operators &/or attributes • iteration: as a search proceeds terms to facets may be added, new facets, even subfacets, created & combined • You build heuristically & modify the query as you go long adding, changing facets © Tefko Saracevic

14. AND Going about building blocks OR © Tefko Saracevic

15. Getting higher recall Building block (or multiple facet) searching assume movement from lower to higher recall – getting more stuff that is relevant, but precision may be lowered © Tefko Saracevic

16. Citation pearl growing • Another common strategy • It means what the name implies: you start with a nugget & grow upon it • Starts with a few records of high relevance • Aims for more recall © Tefko Saracevic

17. How to…citation pearl growing • Bibliographic & other information is obtained for a relevant (model) document(s) after a Briefsearch • user is often the source of the model document(s) • Terms (pearls) are selected from the documents to build facets • Search proceeds iteratively with examination of new relevant documents to enlarge or modify facets • use synonyms and Boolean ‘or’ to create more facets • preserve sets for additional interaction • This strategy works best if user is present or frequently consulted about results © Tefko Saracevic

18. When is citation pearl growing good to use? • When word lists or thesauri are not available • When there isn’t a large recall after doing a briefsearch • When a client has one or two good articles and wants to find more like them • When a topic is new and no descriptors are established to represent the concept © Tefko Saracevic

19. Advanced searching on the web • Needs to be adapted to differences • coverage not specified; vastly different from one source, engine to another • no controlled vocabulary • output ranked by unknown methods & criteria for “relevance” • building blocks may be indicated by “similar pages” or “more from this site” or some such • some provide clusters to narrow searches • features, capabilities, specifics differ © Tefko Saracevic

20. A few web search guides of many • Advanced web searching Greg Notes • Finding information on the webU of California, Berkeley • Googleguide advanced operatorsNancy Blachman • Four NETS for better searching Bernie Dodge • Web search tutorial Searchenginez • How to choose a search engine or directorySUNY at Albany • Search the web more efficientlyWeb Design in New York • Finding information: search enginesPhil Bradley © Tefko Saracevic

21. Beware: search engines are not only about search • Yes, search is (still) their core, but they are in many other businesses built upon search & these affect what & how of searching for us • they are corporations, commercial entities • have to make money, mostly by ads & placements • but provide many other services • selling, licensing software • email, messenger • add-on utilities – like your desktop search functions, toolbars • many of the additional stuff is provided free, but there is no such thing as free lunch • basically they are about how search engines can get us to continue to use their product © Tefko Saracevic

22. In other words • Buyers beware! • Searchers be aware! © Tefko Saracevic

23. A few search sources for the fun of it • Shakespeare & Internet Search Tools & Resources • Picsearch picture searching • US government official web portal“Whatever you want or need from the U.S. government” • Special Search EnginesLeiden U, Netherlands, probably the longest page on the web – a bit out of date • Yahooligans! the web guide for kids and a study: Bilal, D. (2000). Children's use of the Yahooligans! Web search engine. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 51 (7), 646-665 [available at RUL] © Tefko Saracevic

24. Role & importance of interaction in searching “At a fundamental level, information retrieval is inherently interactive.” “This becomes apparent as one considers that the process revolves around a series of activities that an information searcher engages in with an information environment.” Savage-Knepshield, P. A. & Belkin, N. J. (1999). © Tefko Saracevic

25. Interaction: key to effective searching • Interaction between • user and searcher • searcher & information system • user & searcher with information objects • searcher with support materials (thesauri, codes, etc.) • user & searcher with environment • user & searcher with valuation of results • All play a part in retrieving satisfying results • Iteration is a result of interaction © Tefko Saracevic

26. Query Sources Search User task question use Context Searcher Iteration Evaluation Interactive process © Tefko Saracevic

27. Ask yourself some questions • What strategies & tactics have I developed for effective searching? • What heuristics? © Tefko Saracevic

28. For a questionask yourself more questions • What do I do first? • What files/systems should I use? • Should I start broad or narrow? • What will my search statement be? • How much material do I or user need? • What format do I or user want for results? • How will I modify & adjust results? © Tefko Saracevic

29. Happy advanced © Tefko Saracevic