Search Engine Strategies . . . Beyond Yahoo and Google
Presented by
Linda J. Goff, Head, Instructional Services CSUS Library
LJG 8/11/04
Fall, 2004
Today’s Agenda
Web Structure, Jargon & definitions. How search engines think and work. Picking the right web search tool. Searching techniques & tips. Evaluating your sources thinking critically about information. Demonstration.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Glossary
blogging browser cache cookies html http hypertext link
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Metasearch Invisible Web phishing portal sites SacLink telnet URL
What is the World Wide Web?
The World Wide Web (WWW) is a global interactive, dynamic, cross-platform, graphical hypertext information system that runs on the Internet.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
The Web is Growing Exponentially
Over 10% of World is connected! Internet users estimated to be 605.60 million as of September 2002.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Source: http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/
3 Main Types of Search Tools:...
Web Directory - Hierarchical organized in a classification system. Standard Search Engine – uses mathematical algorithms and boolean searches for keyword searches Expert Pages – reviewed list.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Expert Pages
Infomine - Scholarly Internet Resource Collection http://infomine.ucr.edu/
Librarians Index to the Internet
Information You Can Trust http://lii.org/
The WWW Virtual Library http://www.vlib.org CSUS Librarian Guides: http://library.csus.edu/guides/
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Now Web search tools can ...
Search multiple search engines simultaneously. Find sites that answer natural language questions. Ranks sites by how many links have been made to them. Sorts matches into folders by categories. Have advanced searching features Or - a combination of the above.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Metasearch engines
Search simultaneously across multiple search engines and displays top sites in each:
– Dogpile.com – Vivisimo.com Warning: Some now charge for higher listings, e.g., Overture
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Natural Language Search
Type your questions in Natural Language, e.g., AskJeeves.com Analyzes words, grammar and syntax, and uses "templatics" to look for patterns in the way questions are asked. Jeeves responds with one or more closely related questions that it already knows the answer to.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Part 2
How Search Engines Think and Work
Search Engines
Most search engines and databases use Boolean Operators to create search statements, e.g. (domestic or family) and (violence not sexual abuse)
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Boolean Operators
AND requires both terms to
appear in the items that are retrieved. OR requires either term to appear in the items that are retrieved. NOT excludes a term.
Boolean Search Strategy
family and violence
a
AND OR
b
a a
b c d
family or domestic
a
c
violence not sexual abuse
b
NOT
d
b b
What Search Engines Don’t Search
„Bots only crawl the visible web which is only about 20% of everything that is on the Internet. They don‟t look at the “Deep Web”, or “The Invisible Web.”
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Invisible Web contains
Commercial databases that charge a fee, e.g., library research databases of periodical articles. Sites that require membership or a login. Searchable pages such as catalogs, phone books or directories, e.g.AMA Physician Search.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Library Databases Access
Authentication automatic for users with Web access via CSUS and SacLink. CSUS users with other Internet Service Providers (AOL, Prodigy etc.) must create a P.I.N. in EUREKA for authentication to access Library databases. To connect from off campus go to
http://www.lib.csus.edu/databases/help/page.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Choose based on your Information Need
Try Noodle Tools: http://www.noodletools.com/de bbie/literacies/information/5loc ate/adviceengine.html
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Search Engine Comparisons
Most have built-in search tips or help screens. Boolean operators, phrase searching and other limiters are often available. Be aware! Some now charge for higher page placement e.g, Overture.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Handout
See “Searching the Web” handout of special search features and URLs for most popular search engines.
http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guide s/searchweb/srchweb-info.html
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Part 3 Search Tips & Strategies
World Wide Web
Reading Parts of the URL
http://www.lib.csus.edu/databases/
The part before the colon is the access method or protocol, (hypertext transfer protocol). The part after the double slashes is the net address or domain name of the computer where the resource is located. The directory path and filename come after the next slash.
Common Codes in Domain Names
edu - higher education com - commercial firms (+22 million) gov - government agencies mil - military (US) org - general noncommercial organizations net - computer networks int - international organizations State or Country of origin: – uk (United Kingdom) – ca (Canada) – ca.us (California. United States)
New Suffixes added by ICANN, effective Spring 2002
.info (anyone) .biz (business) .name (individuals) .pro (professionals)
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
.museum (accredited) .aero (Airtransport industry) .coop (business cooperatives) Kids.us (Content and technology restrictions)
Think critically about the information you find on the Web...
Anybody can publish anything on the Web. There are no editors and no central authorities. There are no guarantees that the site you find will be there next time you look.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Questions you should ask when evaluating a Web page:
Who is the author or sponsor? What authority/expertise do they have? What is the purpose/scope of the page? Is it current? When was it last updated? How complete and accurate is the information? Does it have a bias? How usable is it? Do the the links work?
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
You must...
Examine assumptions and possible biases. Distinguish between fact and opinion. Compare and contrast related pieces of information from other sources (print and online).
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Bogus sites proliferate
POP! the First Human Male Pregnancy
– http://www.malepregnancy.com
Dihydrogen Monoxide Research
– http://www.dhmo.org/
Clones-R-Us
– http://www.d-b.net/dti/
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Sites need to be examined carefully and compared
Martin Luther King Jr. – A Historical Examination – http://www.mlking.org
The King Center http://web.archive.org/web/200102081 60923/http://thekingcenter.org/ – http://www.thekingcenter.com/
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Web Searching Tips
Use unique words or phrases. Check spelling ! Use synonyms or multiple spellings (e.g., marijuana marihuana) Try more than one search engine. Use words like “research” or “policy” to find more scholarly sites. Use domain limit feature e.g., Domain:edu or domain:gov
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Citing Electronic Sources
Look for it on the Library Home Page under Databases and Periodical Indexes. Look on the left for Guides For General & News and click on Citing Electronic Sources. The URL is...
http://www.lib.csus.edu/guides/budge/eo graphy.htm.
WARNING
Con artists and scams are proliferating on the Web. Don‟t use your credit card number unless you are assured of a secure system. Don‟t download unfamiliar software. Don‟t give out personal information.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Browser Configuration Tips
Clear the memory cache before you begin a search session. It will speed up your response time. Use the following path for I.E.: Tools -> Internet Options -> Delete Files. For Netscape use : Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Cache Delete Cookies at the same screen.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Shortcuts
Use Bookmarks or Favorites Use Go from the pull-down menus instead of the Back button or use the History or right mouse button. Use the Stop and Reload buttons if loading a document takes too long. CTRL ALT DEL will bring up Windows 2000 Task Manager and you can close the browser if it is not responding.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Part 4 Popular Search Engines
World Wide Web
US Digital Media Universe Audience Reach
Home & Work Users January 2003
KEY:
GG=Google, YH=Yahoo, MSN=MSN, AOL=AOL, AJ=Ask Jeeves, OVR=Overture (GoTo), IS=InfoSpace, NS=Netscape, AV=AltaVista, LY=Lycos, ELINK=EarthLink.com, LS=LookSmart,
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http://searchenginewatch.com/reports/netratings.html
Billions Of Textual Documents Indexed as of Sept 2, 2003
KEY: GG=Google
ATW=AllTheWeb, INK=Inktomi, AV=AltaVista, TMA=Teoma.
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Source: http://searchenginewatch.com/reports/article.php/2156481
There are specialized search engines for almost every topic
For a list of over 3,000 search engines go to Search Engine Guide: http://www.searchengineguide.com For detailed information aimed at search professionals try SearchEngineWatch:
http://www.searchenginewatch.com
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Most Popular Search Engines
All the Web, AltaVista, Gigablast, Ask Jeeves, Dogpile, Google, HotBot, Metacrawler, LookSmart, Lycos, MSN Search, Netscape Search, Teoma, WiseNut and Yahoo!
(Source: SearchEngineWatch.com)
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Google.com
Result rankings are based on the number of links made to the site from other web pages. Give you sites that web page creators have “voted” for with their links. An .edu link counts more than one from a .com page.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Google.com
Most popular search engine & searches greatest number of pages (3.3 million) Special features include Advanced search, Image, Froogle, Blogger, Google Catalogs etc.
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Vivisimo.com
Queries one or more web search engines (Metasearch). Clusters Documents into groups based on this information. Groups the documents Orders the groups and the documents within each group. Displays the hierarchical categories.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
Yahoo.com
Originated “Directory” format to organize sites by subject and subheadings. Can personalize: “My Yahoo”. Geographic versions “Get Local.”
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Teoma.com
Results – ranked list. Refine – suggestions to narrow your search. Resources – link collections from experts to enthusiasts. Watch out for “Sponsored” page results – paid listings.
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Hotbot.com
Advanced searching in Hotbot and other search engines lets you limit by:
– – – – –
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Language Domain Region Date Content etc.
Alltheweb.com
Indexes 3.15 billion pages (almost as many as Google). You can customized your preferences. Language translator and language settings.
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
This PowerPoint presentation was prepared by:
Linda J. Goff Head, Instructional Services University Library California State University, Sacramento.
ljgoff@csus.edu
http://www.lib.csus.edu/services/instruction/indiv/
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
LJG:2/16/2004
Search Engine Comparison
Always try more than one! http://www.llrx.com /features/searchen ginechart.htm
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004
CSUS Library Instruction Fall 2004