Stop Searching and Start FINDING: Strategies for Effective Web Research

The Biggest Mistake Typing search terms in the wrong box

The Second Biggest Mistake Using the wrong tool at the wrong time

How do search tools work?  Different search tools use different methods and criteria for searching  No one search tool can search the whole Web  Knowing the type and strengths of each tool is important for effective searching

How do Search Engines work? 1.A spider (also called a "crawler" or a "bot") that searches the Web to index in the search engine’s database of links 2.A program that creates a huge index from the pages that have been read. 3.A program that receives your search request, compares it to the entries in the index, and returns results to you. –So you are not actually searching the Web in real time

Directories v Search Engines  are human-compiled and have a small number of pages in their databases (usually in the low millions)  Directories are human-compiled and have a small number of pages in their databases (usually in the low millions)

Directories v Search Engines  are machine-compiled and have a number of pages in their databases (usually in the hundreds of millions or even the billions)  Search engines are machine-compiled and have a HUGE number of pages in their databases (usually in the hundreds of millions or even the billions)

Directories v Search Engines  Search engines cannot differentiate context –It cannot tell the difference between an Apple computer or the fruit –You need to be specific as possible by entering key words –Use Boolean expressions, (discuss later) –Also use Advanced Search (e.g.,to the right of the Google search box)

The Second Biggest Mistake - - Restated Using a directory as if it was a search engine... and then not understanding why you can’t find anything!

Top search sites – January Google 2.Yahoo 3.MSN 4.AOL 5.Ask Jeeves 6.LookSmart 7.Infospace 8.Overture 9.Netscape 10.AltaVista -- Courtesy Jupiter Media Metrix

Which ones are directories? 1.MSN 2.Yahoo 3.Google 4.AOL 5.Ask Jeeves 6.LookSmart 7.Infospace 8.Overture 9.Netscape ODP 10.AltaVista

How the sites stack up  Most directories (like MSN and AOL) link to a few million pages.  Most search engines (like AltaVista and Google) link to more than 12 billion pages. -- Courtesy searchenginewatch.com

What are Meta-search Engines? Access several search engines or directories simultaneously. Operate on the premise that the Web is too large for any one search engine to index it all Pay a fee to engines and directories to access their databases Examples to look at dogpile - metacrawlerdogpile metacrawler

How to choose best search tool?  Interactive NoodleQuest Tool help you decide on the best search tool –

Understanding Google search results  Cached link –Saved copy of Web page that may not be on the Web anymore –Google saves for 60 days –For older pages not on the net (page not found/404 error) go to Way Back Machine at the Internet Archive –  Similar link –Similar sites  List across the top –Limits type or categories of sites

How do you make the most of your searches?  Use keywords  For example, searching for planets will give you over 300 million hits  Add the keywords - planet Jupiter atmosphere - will give you considerably less  Explore this strategy –You might find this chart helpful –E.g., search for dolphins dolphins “sea mammals” Porpoises Football Fish Miami

Search Engine Rule #3  Use the - sign to exclude.  Powerful tool  Not helpful with most Directories  Remember the Must – Might - Mustn’t chart? vikings –football Virus –computer -movie

A video overview of keywords and operators  o04OIMU o04OIMU o04OIMU

The six rules 1.Be specific... because if you aren’t specific, you’ll end up with a bunch of garbage! 2.Use quotes to search for phrases. 3.Use the + sign to require. 4.Use the - sign to exclude. 5.Use OR 6.Use synonyms

What is I’m feeling lucky button?  If you want to go directly to the top of the search result hit  Click I’m feeling lucky button

Title searches at Google  Lets you search for pages that have a particular word or phrase in their title.  Great way to “cast a narrow net.”

What is the Invisible Web?  Invisible Web or Deep Web is not searchable directly by search tools  Often this information is held in databases –One database (like a search engine) cannot search another database  Special search tools like Beaucoup, Deepdyve, DeepPeep help find Invisible Web content

For example let’s look at Beaucoup

 Provides categories of databases  For example, if click on Health & Fitness > now you see databases > If you select one of these databases > you will be able to search them for articles.  You can also do a search for “searchable database” +topic in a search engine

What are visual search tools?  Use concept maps or pictures  More engaging  Makes more sense for some students

What are visual search tools?  On Google, e.g., first do a regular search –Look on the left for Wonder Wheel* * to get it back, go to Google > click search settings on upper right > scroll down and disable Instant.

What are visual search tools?  Also on the Google Search Window on the left is Timeline  Displays search results in chronological visual format

More Examples  Search Cube Search Cube Search Cube  KartOO is a visual search engine that employs several different visualization methods. This is an example of the future of Internet searching. KartOO

What are clustering search engines?  Clusty is one example –Organizes search results into clusters –For example, searching for “space shuttle” gives you the results in a directory on the left –So if you just want the Discovery shuttle, click on it in the left list  Another example is carrot2.org –Similar to Clusty –Also has visual option link on the top left

Why use Google?  Largest database of sites  Does not take money for ranking –So edu and gov sites have a fair opportunity to be listed at the top of a search  Simple interface  Many search tools