Internet Searching Ideas and Tips

Internet Searching

Jane Ellen InnesCleary University Libraryjeinnes@cleary.edu1

1Directly http://library.cleary.edu

What we are coveringWhat is research?Critical thinkingInternet searching (search engines, strategies, tips)Clearys proprietary databasesProquest, Lexis/Nexis/MelOthersEvaluating information

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This slide provides an overview of the research lecture.2

What is Research?Primary versus secondary researchWriting process stage 2: collectingHow does research benefit your papers?CredibilityProfessionalismWhere to begin3

Understanding the difference between primary and secondary research is an important concept. One example of primary research is when you create a survey instrument and collect your own data. Secondary research usually comes in the form of published findings or research reports.

Primary Sources

Primary sources are original materials. They are from the time period involved and have not been filtered through interpretation. Diaries Interviews (legal proceedings, personal, telephone, e-mail) , Letters, Original Documents (i.e. birth certificate or a trial transcript), Patents, Photographs, Proceedings of Meetings, Conferences and Symposia, Survey Research (such as market surveys and public opinion polls), Works of Literature Secondary SourcesSecondary sources are accounts written after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. They are interpretations and evaluations of primary sources. Secondary sources are not evidence, but rather commentary on and discussion of evidence. Biographies, Commentaries, Dissertations, Indexes, Abstracts, Bibliographies (used to locate primary & secondary sources), Journal Articles, Monographs

Tertiary SourcesTertiary sources consist of information which is a distillation and collection of primary and secondary sources. Almanacs Encyclopedias Fact books

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Critical ThinkingWhat is critical thinking and why is it important?

Critical ThinkingTaking what you know, combining with what you learn to reach new conclusionStart with broad concepts and narrow

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Better searching with critical thinkingWho is interested in what you are looking for?Learn about your topic as you searchGet information from search summariesIncrease your topic specific vocabulary as you search5

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Searching

Internet Searching

Search Engines6

What are Search Engines?Large databasesFull text of web pagesUse keywords matching words in pages you wantBuilt by computer robot programsNo selectivity, no evaluation for reliabilityEach is different - Minimal standardizationAll accept quotes to search as phraseGood ones assume AND between words

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How do you measure a search engines value? Size, freshness & unique pagesHow comprehensive are they? Ranking of resultsWhat order are results displayed in? Default search mode effectivenessIntuitive and easy to use? Advanced search optionsCan you perform complex searchesCan you limit by date, type of site, etc? Overall convenience and usefulnessDo you get junk or good stuff?

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How to get the best results from search enginesMatch words in pages - FULL TEXT

Be as specific as you cansearch on distinctive words - fallujahput phrases in quotes affordable care actscan your question for good search terms

Start with one or two words or phrasesadd as needed to focus results

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BOOLEAN SEARCHING

Search Engine CommandsMeans What?AND (+)Must include all termsNOT (-)Must exclude term/s[topic phrase]In quotes - must include exact phraseORMatch any terms

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10The Internet is a vast computer database. As such, its contents must be searched according to the rules of computer database searching. Much database searching is based on the principles of Boolean logic. Boolean logic refers to the logical relationship among search terms, and is named for the British-born Irish mathematician George Boole.

On Internet search engines, the options for constructing logical relationships among search terms extend beyond the traditional practice of Boolean searching.

Boolean logic consists of three logical operators:

ORANDNOT

(Taken from Boolean Searching on the Internet: A Primer in Boolean Logic). Click the link on the title of the slide to view the site.

Meta Search EnginesMeta Search Engines search multiple sites and retrieve combined results.Meta Search Engines Explained (thanks UC Berkeley)

Multiple Search Engines, Meta Search Engines, or Metacrawlers (SearchEngineShowdown)

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11Provided here for students to review outside of presentation time.

Choosing the Best Search EngineCheck NoodleTools (yes, NoodleTools): Search Engine Advice

http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.htmlUC Berkeley RecommendationsSearch Engine Recommendations http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SearchEngines.htmlSubject Directory Recommendations http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SubjDirectories.html10 Best Search Engines of 2013 (About.com)http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/navigatingthenet/tp/top_10_search_engines_for_beginners.htm

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Get a second opinionStatistics say no search engine has it all

Only about 60% of pages in Google are also in other search enginesOnly 50% of pages in any search engine database are also found in all othersUse more than one search engine13

13If you find you need more detailed information on how to run a search, here is an excellent resource: http://searchenginewatch.com/2155981. A quick search in any search engine (search engines searching basics or similar terms, will retrieve many interesting and relevant articles about the nuances of conducting an Internet search.