Internet Searching

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Internet Searching

• Jane Ellen Innes
• Cleary University Library
• jeinnes_at_cleary.edu

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What we are covering

• What is research?
• Critical thinking
• Internet searching (search engines, strategies,
  tips)
• Clearys proprietary databases
• Proquest, Lexis/Nexis/Mel
• Others
• Evaluating information

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What is Research?

• Primary versus secondary research
• Writing process stage 2 collecting
• How does research benefit your papers?
• Credibility
• Professionalism
• Where to begin

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Critical Thinking

• What is critical thinking and why is it
  important?
• Critical Thinking
• Taking what you know, combining with what you
  learn to reach new conclusion
• Start with broad concepts and narrow

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Better searching with critical thinking

• Who is interested in what you are looking for?
• Learn about your topic as you search
• Get information from search summaries
• Increase your topic specific vocabulary as you
  search

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Topic Worksheet

• Topic Worksheet
• Created by Joe Barker, Teaching Library, UC
  Berkeley
• Use search engines to increase your vocabulary on
  your topic. Take the information you learn from
  general Internet searches and search the Cleary
  Online Library.

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Searching

• Internet Searching
• Search Engines

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What are Search Engines?

• Large databases
• Full text of web pages
• Use keywords matching words in pages you want
• Built by computer robot programs
• No selectivity, no evaluation for reliability
• Each is different - Minimal standardization
• All accept quotes to search as phrase
• Good ones assume AND between words

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How do you measure a search engines value?

• Size, freshness unique pages
• How comprehensive are they?
• Ranking of results
• What order are results displayed in?
• Default search mode effectiveness
• Intuitive and easy to use?
• Advanced search options
• Can you perform complex searches
• Can you limit by date, type of site, etc?
• Overall convenience and usefulness
• Do you get junk or good stuff?

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How to get the best results from search engines

• Match words in pages - FULL TEXT
• Be as specific as you can
• search on distinctive words - fallujah
• put phrases in quotes collateral damage
• scan your question for good search terms
• Start with one or two words or phrases
• add as needed to focus results

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BOOLEAN SEARCHING
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Compare Search Engines

• http//CompareSearchEngines.dogpile.com
• Jux2 Compare Google, Yahoo, and MSN with One
  Search www.jux2.com
• Thumb Shots.com http//ranking.thumbshots.com/
• TwinGine http//TwinGine.com

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Get a second opinion

• Statistics say no search engine has it all
• Only about 60 of pages in Google are also in
  other search engines
• Only 50 of pages in any search engine database
  are also found in all others
• Use another large search engine
• Comparison site Search Engine Showdown

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Alternative beyond Google

• AskX (http//www.askx.com)
• Search the Web 2.0 (www.searchtheweb2.com)
• Exalead (http//www.exalead.com)

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Q and A Services

• http//answers.com
• http//qna.live.com
• http//askville.ask.com
• Use with caution
• Some are more reliable than others

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NationMaster.comStateMaster.com

• Source for state, national and international
  statistics
• Cool tool for presenting graphical information
• Data from WHO, World Ban, CIA World Factbook,
  World Resources Institute, etc.
• http//www.nationmaster.com
• http//www.statemaster.com

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Yahoos Mindset Feature

• http//Mindset.research.yahoo.com
• Are you researching or shopping?

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Scholarly Sources

• Some resources require fees good for reviewing
  reference lists of similar topics
• Google Scholar
• http//scholar.google.com/
• Live Academic Search
• http//academic.live.com

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Cleary Online Libraries

• Login information
• Databases and focus areas
• Proquest
• Basic search, topic search, publication search
• Lexis Nexis
• MeL
• Other, topic specific databases

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Off Campus Information Gateway
1st Initial 1st Name 1st Initial 2nd Name Last 5
Digits Student ID CANNOT BE CHANGED
cleary1883 (cannot be changed)
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Cleary Online Library databases
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Additional Resources

• Cleary Research Wiki
• http//cleary.wetpaint.com
• Cleary Library Blog
• http//clearylibrarian.wordpress.com
• NoodleTools
• http//www.noodletools.com

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Lexis Nexis
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MeL
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Market Research
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Hoovers
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CountryWatch
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BizMiner
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NetLibrary
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Remember

• Check the Cleary Research Wiki for information on
  conducting research
• The more you research, the better you get at it
• Be patient and dont always assume that the FIRST
  article you find is the best.

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EVALUATING INFORMATION

• If you are using material that youve found via
  the Cleary Library, there is no need for further
  evaluation.
• If youve found some great information on the
  Internet . . . You need to investigate a little
  further. . .

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Evaluating Information

• Why Evaluate What You Find on the Web?
• Anyone can put up a Web page ? about anything ?
  for pennies ? in minutes
• Many pages not kept up-to-date
• No quality control

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Evaluating Information

• Wikipedia Good place to start but NOT a
  definitive source.
• DO NOT cite in your reference list
• Citizendium (signed Wiki)
• http//en.citizendium.org/wiki/Main_Page

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Ask yourself

• Credentials for the subject matter ?
• About us Philosophy Background Biography
• Is it recent or current enough ?
• Look for last updated date - usually at bottom
• Why it the page put on the Web?
• Inform, explain, persuade, sell, entice, share,
  disclose?
• Parody or satire?
• Is it appropriate for your purpose?

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5 CRITERIA

• For Evaluating Websites

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What are they?

• Accuracy of Site
• Authority of Site
• Objectivity of Site
• Currency of Site
• Coverage of Site

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ACCURACY

• Who wrote it?
• Why did s/he write it?
• Was the person actually qualified to write it?
• Make sure author provides e-mail or a contact
  address/phone number.
• Know the distinction between author and
  Webmaster.

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AUTHORITY

• Who published the document? Different from
  "Webmaster?"
• Check the domain of the document, Does the
  publisher list qualifications?
• What credentials are listed for the authors?
• Where is the document published? Check URL
  domain.

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OBJECTIVITY

• What are the goals/objectives of the site?
• How detailed is the information?
• What opinions (if any) are expressed by the
  author?
• Determine if page is a mask for advertising
• View any Web page as you would a TV infommercial.
  Purpose and audience.

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CURRENCY

• When was it created?
• When was it updated?
• Are the links up-to-date?
• How many dead links are on the page?
• Are the links current or updated regularly?
• Is the information on the page outdated?

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COVERAGE

• Are the links evaluated and are they relevant?
• All images or a balance of text and images?
• Is the information presented cited correctly?
• If page requires special software to view the
  information, how much are you missing if you
  don't have the software?
• Is it free or is there a fee, to obtain the
  information?
• Is there an option for text only, or frames, or a
  suggested browser for better viewing?

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Does is all add up?

• Does the web page meet your needs?
• Remember to determine audience and purpose
• Evaluate sample sites

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Remember

• You will rarely find an article that is exactly
  on your topic. 
• Learn to use the information you have to make
  your point.

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Finally

• Use the information you have at hand to find more
  information look at URLs, references to
  additional articles, statistics.
• Research will take more time than you think. 
  Plan ahead!