ITIS 1210 Introduction to Web-Based Information Systems

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ITIS 1210Introduction to Web-Based Information
Systems

• Internet Research Three
• Browsing Subject Guides

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Introduction

• Subject guides
• aka subject directories, Internet directories,
  subject trees
• Subject guides
• Help focus searches
• Useful if your knowledge of the subject is too
  limited to judge the results you get from regular
  search engines
• Group information by topic
• Lets you see both breadth and depth

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Introduction

• Browse by drilling down
• Navigate through hierarchical subject headings
• Upper levels are general
• Lower levels more and more specific
• Some permit keyword searches also

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Data typically compiled and arranged by experts
• Offers greater selectivity and quality of data
• But less coverage than regular search engines
• Emphasis on quality not quantity
• Links may be annotated with useful information

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Subject guide resource
• http//www.lib.lsu.edu/weblio.html
• Librarians Index to the Internet www.lii.org
• Click a bold topic to see a list of sub-topics
• Click a non-bold topic to see a list of Web pages
  about that topic

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Searchable
• UC Berkeley
• http//www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Int
  ernet/SubjDirectories.html
• infomine.ucr.edu
• Annotations
• Summaries or reviews of Web page content
• Usually written by a subject guide contributors
• Typically an expert in the field
• http//www.lii.org/pub/topic/webdesign

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Distributed subject guides
• WWW Virtual Library - http//vlib.org/
• Open Directory Project - http//dmoz.org/
• Created by contributors working independently
• Each group/person responsible for a subtopic

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Not stored on one computer
• Distributed to different computers around the Web
• Many independent contributors have
• Different levels of expertise
• Varying resources
• May make distributed subject guides of uneven
  quality and show lack of standardization

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Maintenance by experts
• Balances problems with quality
• They know best whats available on the Web
• Topics may be organized differently between
  different guides
• energy under Science in one, under
  Engineering in another

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Searchable subject guides typically search only
  their own data

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Trailblazer pages
• Created by scholars and experts
• Trying to organize and link to the best Web sites
  in their field
• Excellent source for reliable information
• May be broad or narrow in scope
• All trying to cover their topic well

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Usually provides
• Links to useful sites
• Logical way of navigating subject
• May provide
• Search capability
• Site map
• Example EERE

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Understanding Subject Guides

• Trailblazer pages
• Example http//www.eere.energy.gov/

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Specialized Search Engines

• Specialized search engines
• Best features of regular search engines
• Subject guides
• Limit the Web pages they search for
• Available for
• Law
• Medicine
• Technology

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Specialized Search Engines

• Where do you find specialized search engines?
• http//webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/specialized.htm
  l

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Evaluation Criteria

• Standards to determine if a Web page is
  appropriate for your needs
• How does Web information get to you?
• Directly from author
• Via an editorial process
• Online journals
• Recommended
• Search engine

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Authority
Objectivity Accuracy
Organization
Appropriate
Scope
Currency
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Evaluation Criteria

• Authority (credibility/reliability)
• Is the author identified?
• Are their qualifications identified?
• Are resources documented?
• Is there contact information for the author(s)?
• Is the author associated with
• University
• Organization
• Government agency

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Evaluation Criteria

• Organization (appearance vs. content)
• Is site well designed, functional?
• Easy to navigate?
• Searchable?
• Site map or Help page?

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Evaluation Criteria

• Scope (range of topics)
• Who is the intended audience?
• Students, professionals, amateurs?
• Introduction explaining purpose of site?
• Is scope appropriate for your needs?
• Too broad
• Too narrow

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Evaluation Criteria

• Currency (timeliness)
• Creation/revision date?
• Broken links
• Not being maintained

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Evaluation Criteria

• Objectivity accuracy
• Advocacy is OK if revealed
• Does author state purpose of site?
• Content presented as fact or opinion?
• Are resources well documented?
• Host of site identified?
• What do other sites say about this site or its
  author?