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Searching the Internet
MMTK Project
Unit developed by Anna Feldman, for the Associationfor Progressive Communications
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Overview
This unit aims to enable you to:y Understand more about the Internet as an environment for
finding information.
y
Explore the strengths and weaknesses of different searchtools: how to pick the right one(s) for the job.
y Learn to use the tools appropriately: how to re-phrase your
questions in a search tool-shaped way.
y Evaluate the information that search tools provide: how to
efficiently cream off the most relevant results.
y Develop a strategy for building up your own well-structured
bank of links for future reference: how to bypass the search
tools altogether.
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Internet as Information
Environment
� Lack of statistics on the amount of informationon the Internet
� No standard indexing system� No ³direct´ searching of other computers -
access to search tools only
� Search tools search through limited lists of
sites� Information on the Internet is driven by
machines, created by people
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Search Engines� Compiled by spiders (computer-robot programs),
mechanically building database of references
� Matches searched-for keywords with words in full text of
selected web pages� Number of pages searched can vary from small number to
90% of the web
� Good results are as much about understanding searchsyntax as the scope of the engine¶s coverage
Good For: Precision searches, using named people ororganisations, searching quickly and widely, topicswhich are hard to classify
Not Good For: Browsing through a subject area
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Major Search Engines
� Googlehttp://www.google.com/
� AltaVistahttp://www.altavista.com/
� allthewebhttp://www.alltheweb.com/
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Meta-search Engines
� Skim-search several search engines at once
� Usually reach about 10% of results of each
engine they visit� Cannot perform advanced-style searches
which use engine-specific syntax
Good For: quick search engine results overview, doing
simple searches with 1 or 2 keywords
Not Good For: comprehensive results from a complex
search
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Major Meta-search
Engines
� SurfWaxhttp://www.surfwax.com/
� Ixquickhttp://www.ixquick.com/
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Information Gateways� Information gateway-type resources include Internet catalogues,
subject directories, virtual libraries and gateways
� Specialising in resources on a particular field
� Usually searchable AND
� Organised into hierarchical subject categories
� Compiled by people, not robots
�More focus on sifting for relevance and qualityGood For: topics that fall into a thematic area that has a subject
directory, guided browsing in your subject area
Not Good For: Quickly finding information from widely varying
themes
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Information Gateway
Examples
� ELDIS: the Gateway to Development Informationhttp://www.eldis.org/
� Development Gatewayhttp://www.developmentgateway.org/
� World Wide Web Virtual Libraryhttp://www.vlib.org/
� SOSIG (Social Science Information Gateway)http://www.sosig.ac.uk/
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Specialised
Databases� Also known as the ³invisible web´ - pages of
content not reached by robots
� Statistics, schedules, maps, figures� Dynamically generated content, powered into
pages on demand
� Searchable
� Entry pages can be found using other searchtools
Good For: Gathering specific kinds of data
Not Good For: Browsing through a subject area
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ExerciseUse just one search tool for each of the following queries to start
building up a picture of which tools work for which queries
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Stage 1. Unpacking
the Query
� Ask questions to make the query clearer
� Put the query into a single sentence
� Break it up into concepts
� Think of alternative terms for each of
your concepts
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Exercise� Take a search query from the collection
that was made at the beginning of the
session. Do not take one that you wroteyourself
� Adapt the query by asking questions, if it needs more specificity
� Use the table in your worksheets tobreak it down into concepts
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Stage 2. Phrase your
QueryThe basic principles of Search Syntax are thesame for most search engines, but details can
vary - always check your engine¶s search tipspage to be sure.
� Narrowing parameters: ³´ , +, -³Columbian coffee pickers´
+coffee +pickers +price +Columbia
+coffee -cup -cotton
� Complex Boolean searchesOR , AND or +, NOT, ³«.´
� Wild Cardseduc*
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Stage 3. Categorise
your Query
Does your query:
�Include clearly distinctive words or phrases?
� Include common terms that tend to get manyinappropriate results?
� Look for broad overviews of a subject area?
�Look for a narrowly focused part of a broaderarea?
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Stage 4. Match the
Right Tool to the Query
� Try and match the right tool to the typeof search query you are working on.
� Think about the way that the tool willwork on your query and re-phrase thequery to get the most out of the tools.
� Try a variety of tools - use general toolsto find subject-specific ones.
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Stage 5. Seek Advice
Tools don¶t have brains - people do!
� No successful results from the tools online?
� Look for an ³off-ramp´ to take you to a
person offline:
± an email link to a relevant expert, resource person, orpage author
± telephone number± postal addresses
� Send your query to a relevant discussion list
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Stage 6. Try Again!� Go back to the beginning
� R etrace your steps
� Look for turnings you may have missed
� R e-phrase your query
� R e-think your query
� Check your search syntax
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Stage 7. Evaluating
the ResultsThink before you click!� The Internet lacks the quality control mechanisms that
exist in the print media
� Look for ³relevance´ clues in the UR Ls of your searchresults, before you click.
� Check the domain types.gov, .edu, .org
�Check the publishing source± self published by an individual?
± reputable source?
± relevant source?
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ExerciseThe following UR Ls are Google results from the queryIndonesia ³human rights´. Try making a judgement aboutwhat sort of information they link to (without clicking).
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Developing your Own
Online Resource Base� Learn from your searches: let every search
contribute to the next ones.
�Use the
Bookmarks/Favorites feature of your browser.
� Add UR Ls and annotations to the list.
� Use the filing functionality to organise yourresources into a logical system.
� The list will become an incredibly valuablepersonalised information gateway - and afabulous launch-pad.
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Searching the Internet
MMTK Project
Unit developed by Anna Feldman, for the Associationfor Progressive Communications