LIR 10 Week 9

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LIR 10 Week 9

• Searching and Evaluating Information on the
  Internet

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Wrapping Up Online Databases

• Infotrac subject headings
• Keyword vs. subject search example
• Online databases available at the public library

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Searching, Evaluating and Using Internet Sources
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What is the Internet?

• A network of networks.
• The Internet refers to the global connection of
  networks around the world, connecting many
  smaller networks together and allowing all the
  computers to exchange information with each
  other.
• The Internet began in the 1960s when military
  and educational institutions started to explore
  ways for information to flow safely via computer
  networks.

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What is the Internet?

• The Internet is not just World Wide Web. It
  encompasses all kinds of communication from user
  to user, for example telnet, ftp, the usenet,
  MUDs and e-mail.
• Computers on the Internet have to use a common
  set of rules (protocols) for communication.
• The Internet uses a set of protocols called
  TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
  Protocol).

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The World Wide Web vs. The Internet

• Its common to use the term web and internet
  interchangeably.
• In fact, the WWW is just one way to share
  information over the Internet.
• The Web uses HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol)
  to transmit data.
• HTTP to allows information to be shared through
  web pages, documents, graphics, audio and video.
• The Web also utilizes graphics-based browsers
  such as Explorer and Netscape to access web
  pages. Related pages can be linked to each other
  using via hyperlinks.

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How is the World Wide Web Organized?
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Its not!

• The World Wide Web was not designed to be
  organized or searched. However, there are tools
  to help you find information on the Web.

• Search Engines
• Subject Directories

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Indexes vs. Web Subject Directories and Search
Engines

• Indexes are created specifically with the
  searcher in mind.

• Many searchable fields
• Fixed Subject headings
• Multiple subheadings
• Free text searching in a variety of fields
• Sophisticated search strings

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Indexes vs. Web Subject Directories and Search
Engines

• Directories and Search Engine do not feature the
  sophisticated search techniques of a subscription
  database.
• Why not?

• Databases are fee-based
• Databases are built from collections of
  subscription-based periodicals
• Web search engines and directories work with an
  infinite number of documents with a limited
  number of tools

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Subject Directories

• Directories resemble indexes (somewhat)
• Directories use a hierarchy of categories to
  provide access to individual websites
• Often include a definition/scope note for topics
• Selected by humans
• Will generally include a search field

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Web Directory Elements

• Search box
• Help Link
• Categories and subcategories
• Advertising?
• Yahoo is an example of a commercial web
  directory, LII is an example of a noncommercial,
  research directory

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Use Directories to Find

• Consumer products
• Government reports
• Company information and reports
• Financial reports and the stock market
• Weather and road conditions
• Travel and reservations
• Computer and technical information
• Maps
• Research topics
• Popular topics
• Auctions

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Web Directories

• are basically organized collections of web
  sites created by
• Organizations .org
• Government agencies .gov .mil
• People .net .web
• Commercial .com
• and they are updated regularly

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Web Directories

• Offer two ways to find information
• Browsing the subject categoriesand subcategories
• Search for keywords and phrases

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Research Directories

• Noncommercial
• Reliable sites, well organized
• Focus on topics
• Primarily for research

• Search by
• Browsing through subject categoriesand
  subcategories
• Searching for keywords and phrases

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Example of a Research Directory

• The Librarians Index to the Internet (LII) is a
  searchable, annotated subject directory of more
  than 14,000 Internet resources.
• Developed, organized and maintained by librarians

• http//www.lii.org

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Academic Web Directories

• Focus on research areas
• Institutionally supported
• Created by librarians and subject specialists
• May have site annotations

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Examples of Academic Directories

• http//www.santarosa.edu/library/Refs/index.shtml
• www.ipl.org/ref
• infomine.ucr.edu

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Commercial Directories

• Very broad subject areas
• Popular categories
• Selective sites
• Site choice often based on producer information
• Unknown criteria

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Commercial Web Directories

• When to use them
• To scan broad subjects
• When you want everything
• When youre not sure what you need
• Can use for personal or research
• When you need current information

• Caveats
• Can be overwhelming
• Sites not filtered or evaluated
• No editors
• Often changed
• Advertisers influence ranking

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Examples of Commercial Directories

• www.yahoo.com
• directory.google.com
• www.about.com

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Personal Directories

• Specific topic areas
• Special interest

• May not be updated as often as other types of
  directories

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Examples of Personal Directories

• www.refdesk.com
• http//www.freepint.com/gary/direct.htm

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Cooperative Directories

• Use volunteers to create and edit topic areas
• Provides information without promoting or ranking
  individual websites
• Updated constantly

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Example of a Cooperative Directory

• http//www.dmoz.org
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

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Using Search Engines
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What is a search engine?

• Search engines are programs that search for words
  in web pages, files and documents found on the
  World Wide Web
• They operate using a specific set of protocols
• They search through a specific set of web sites
• Search engines are automatically updated by
  programs called "robots" or "spiders" that search
  the WWW for new content, then report their
  findings to the database.
• Search engines search only a few fields in a web
  page.

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When you search with a search engine, you are not
searching the entire Internet
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Common Features of Search Engines

• Search boxes for terms to be entered
• Option boxes to tailor searches
• You may customize your search
• Advanced search techniques to refine searches
• Help screens

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Search Engine Interface Example
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Search Engine Interface Example
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Examples of Search Engines

• www.google.com
• www.altavista.com
• http//teoma.com/

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How to Search

• Most search engines use a simplified version of
  Boolean searching
• Check the Help screen or Advanced Search screen
  to check which search operators are available.
• Search engines will generally allow

• OR (women or females) AND marketing
• (women or females) marketing
• AND children AND violence AND television
  children violence television
• NOT biomedical engineering AND cancer NOT
  school
• biomedical engineering cancer -school

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More Boolean-esque Options

• Phrase searching
• restless legs syndrome
• world health organization

• Check for additional limiters
• Date range
• Language
• Truncation
• Note Most search engines are not case sensitive

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Evaluating Web Sites

• Information sources from the Internet must be
  evaluated.
• There are no standards for putting information on
  the Internet.
• Searchers need to analyze websites carefully.

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Evaluating Web Sites

• Is there an author or source listed clearly on
  the site?
• Can you discover information about the authors
  occupation, education or experience?
• Is the author affiliated or connected with an
  organization or institution?
• Is the author an expert with subject knowledge?
• What qualifications does this person or
  organization have to talk on this topic?

• Who?
• (The source or author and authority of the web
  site)

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Evaluating Web Sites

• Documents Accuracy
• Is factual evidence and opinion documented?
• Are there footnotes, bibliographies or links to
  credible sources?
• Are statistical references current and clearly
  labeled?
• Documents Form
• Is the information complete or just web bites?
• Does edited (or abridged) information have links
  to original document?
• Does the author use good grammar and correct
  spelling?

• What?
• (Content of the web site)

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Evaluating Web Sites

• Information Currency
• What date was the site created?
• When was this site last updated or revised?
• Is the information cited within the web site
  still valid?
• Current References
• Are links to other web pages current?
• Do links to other web pages work?

• When?
• (Currency of web site)

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Evaluating Web Sites

• Is it an organizations web site (.org)?
• Is it a governmental web site (.gov)?
• Is it a military web site (.mil)?
• Is it a commercial web site (.com)?
• Is it an educational web site (.edu)?

• Where? (Origin of the web site)

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Evaluating Web Sites

• Authors Bias
• Do the authors affiliations indicate bias toward
  a particular point of view?
• Is the author trying to report, inform, persuade
  or sell?
• Does the page use inflammatory or provocative
  language?
• Is there documented evidence to support the
  authors conclusions?
• Purpose of Web Site
• Does it provide information?
• Is it selling a product?
• Is it arguing a position?
• Is the information presented objectively?
• Is it trying to convince or gain support from
  individuals or groups?
• Is advertising clearly distinguishable from
  content?

• Why?
• (Bias, purpose, perspective or orientation of
  web page)

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Homework for Next Week

• WWW Assignment Using Search Engines and Web
  Directories