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Library – Coast Capital Savings Library

Precision Web Search

During this workshop, we are going to discuss :

Introduction

What is the Internet or World Wide Web?

The Internet is a network of networks, linking computers using a certain protocol or official formula. Each runs software to provide or "serve" information and/or to access and view information. The Internet is the transport vehicle for the information stored in files or documents on another computer.

It can be compared to an international communications utility servicing computers. It is sometimes compared to a giant international plumbing system. The Internet itself does not contain information. One shouldn't really say this document " was found on the Internet." It would be more correct to say it was found through the Internet. What it was found in (or on) is one of the computers linked to the Internet.

The World Wide Web or WWW incorporates all of the Internet services above and much more. When you log onto the Internet using Netscape or another browser such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer, you are viewing documents on the World Wide Web. The current foundation on which the WWW functions is Hypertext using HTML language.

It is this language that provides the unique links to other documents on the WWW. Because the Web is not indexed in any standard manner, finding information can seem difficult. Search engines are popular tools for locating web pages, but they often return millions of results.

Search engines crawl the Web and log the words from the web pages they find in their databases. Because some search engines have logged the words from over 500 million documents, results can be overwhelming. Without a clear search strategy, using a search engine is like wandering aimlessly in the stacks of a large library with many of the books' covers missing and no call numbers!

Some "words of wisdom" about the WWW (world wide web): The Web has no overriding organizational scheme or structure. Unlike most electronic databases, there is generally no indexing by topic or subject. Although most information on the Web is "free" (i.e. it can be accessed without restrictions, passwords, fees, etc), some resources on the Web require subscriptions.

For example some newspapers only allow free access to selected articles and require registration and payment for the entire issue. Our full text databases are not free to web users either, they are costly library subscriptions.

Also remember that information on the Web is not screened or edited. Because anyone can publish a Web page, the type and quality of material tends to vary considerably.

Information can be short-lived. Some estimate that the average life span of a web site is only 44 days!

PART I: Web Vocabulary

On-line dictionaries abound; we have supplied a few key definitions for you, and a link to numerous other dictionaries. Many of the definitions will become clear as you work through this tutorial.

  • ADSL:ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) is an unlimited High Speed Internet service that runs through a basic copper telephone line. However, because it utilizes the higher frequencies of the line, not used by the telephone service, it does not interrupt the telephone connection. Therefore, you can talk on the phone while surfing the Internet. As both Internet and phone/fax functions can work simultaneously on the same line, there is no need for an additional line. ADSL is not available to everyone; you must check with your individual ISP to see if your location qualifies for ADSL access.
  • Browser:a program used to view, download, upload, surf or otherwise access documents on the World Wide Web. At Kwantlen, we use the /Netscapebrowser. Another very popular browser is /Internet Explorer, a Microsoft product.
  • Ecommerce:or electronic commerce ; the exchange of money for goods or services over the Web.
  • Invisible Web:or "Deep Web" refers to resources on the web that are not picked up by the traditional search tools such as search engines or subject directories. For the most part, the invisible web is information that is found in subject specific databases. The traditional search tools may be able to find the referring page for the database; however they cannot find the information within until a query is performed on the actual database. While some of the databases may require login or registration, much of the invisible web info is free. There are now many sites that monitor and list invisible web sites. A few are Complete Planet , Invisible Web Catalog or DirectSearch .
  • News groups:archived subject-specific email discussion groups
  • Search engine:a program which acts like a card catalogue in a library. Search engines identify information for the user by matching keywords which are typed in.
  • Subject Directory :services that offer selected collections of links to Internet resources organized by subject or categories. Directories are compiled by people, not computers.
  • Web site:(or Home Page) Home location on the WWW; made up of web pages that may contain text, graphics or audio.
  • World Wide Web or the Internet- which is it and what's the difference? :the Internet is the worldwide network of computer networks. This includes different file types including gopher sites and FTP sites. The World Wide Web is the largest and the most recognizable subset of the Internet; the Web provides a certain type of protocol that allows you to use browsers like Netscape and Explorer to access text, sound, image, voice and moving pictures. The back bone of the Web is that you can use your mouse to point and click to access further information. It has become the flashy, commercial and most visible portion of the Internet. You will often find the terms "Internet" and "World Wide Web" used interchangeably.

Yahoo's list of computer and Internet Dictionaries is a good place to find additional definitions.

PART II: Common mistakes made by Web users

Common Mistake #1:

Typing search terms in the wrong box

Quick Fix!

Put Web addresses (all the stuff beginning with http:and www) in the address box nearer the top. These web addresses do not go in the search term box of a search engine! Put search terms (i.e. the things you are looking for) in the Search box

Common Mistake #2 :

Using the wrong Web search tool

  • Where would you look to find a telephone number? A telephone book or association directory.
  • Where would you look to find a definition? A dictionary
  • Where would you look to find an explanation of the metric system? An encyclopedia

Each of these tools is specially designed to answer a specific type of question. It is the same with search engines and subject directories (the tools of the world wide web).

What would happen if you tried to find a definition for the word "defenestration" in a telephone book?

Hint: Yahoo isn't a search engine, it is a directory.

Use it for telephone book-like searches. Directories are poor tools for encyclopedia-like searches. Search engines have three parts:

  • 1. Spider (also called crawler or bot) that goes to every site page and reads it, using hypertext links
  • 2. Program that compiles the huge index of pages that have been read
  • 3. Another program that receives your request, compares it to the entries in the index and supplies you with results

Search engines vs Subject Directories

Directories have many millions of fewer pages.

  • Yahoo 1.8 million pages ;
  • Lycos 2.2 million pages (both Directories)
  • compared toGoogle (a search engine) with 4.3 billion pages or
  • AltaVista with 350 million pages (combination search engine and directory).

Therefore most directories use a search engine as a backup (Yahoo uses Google)

  • When using a search engine: Be specific, be very specific!
  • Get to know your favourite search engine;
  • print off its list of search commands
  • Use quotation marks to search for phrases "John Keats"
  • Use the + sign to require a word to be there
  • Use the - sign to exclude a word or words
  • You can monitor search engine watch where you can learn about new search engines, do tutorials, etc.

PART III: How to Find What you Want

i. The Library Web Page

Librarians have always been experts in organizing information. Now they have become experts in managing information on the Web. Library sites usually present information logically. The Kwantlen Library Web page mirrors research steps, beginning with finding books and articles, checking Internet sites and looking at our guides. You should know that Kwantlen librarians have added value to the pages by reviewing and consistently monitoring web sites for content, quality, currency, and accuracy. The Kwantlen library web page is an excellent place to start your research!

Library Home Page Exercise:

Using the Kwantlen Library Home Page, find the following pages and note their URL (hint - you do not have to copy down the /http:portion of the address). We will be using the addresses later in the workshop. Then use the /backbutton to return to this page.

  • Internet Subject Guide that covers Law and Criminology
  • A listing of the Article indexes that Kwantlen subscribes toInformation regarding our Audio-visual services
  • A listing of other Library catalogues

Take a few minutes to find information relevant to your courses. The Library Web Team is constantly adding new sites and information resources to the page so you may consider making our page a regular stop during your web browsing!

ii. Subject Directories

Browse method - using Subject Directories

Subject directories are services that offer selected collections of links to Internet resources organized into subjects or categories. Selection criteria are used to choose links. Many subject directories are compiled by librarians with the intention to enhance research; some are commercial (like Yahoo) and are intended to serve the general public and to generate income.

Our favorite subject directories include :
Yahoo| Internet Public Library| Infomine | BUBL Link| Librarian's Index to the Internet | WWW Virtual Library| Galaxy

Search tip:

  • Use a subject directory when you:
  • Have a broad topic to search
  • Require your sites to be annotated or rated or recommended
  • Want to avoid duplicates
  • Want a smaller, more relevant list of sites.

iii. Search Engines

Search method - Using a Search Engine to find Sites

Search Engines are searchable databases of Internet files collected by computer programs (often called robots or worms or spiders). There are no selection criteria for the collection of files by search engines. Search engines retrieve large numbers of web sites by keyword.

Our favorite search engines include :

Google | AltaVista | Infoseek | All the Web| Northern Light| HotBot | Excite | Vivisimo | Metacrawler

Search tip:Use search engines when you:

  • Have a narrow topic or obscure idea to research
  • Are looking for millions of full text pages
  • Are looking for a specific site
  • Expect or want a very large number of documents

iv. Known Site Method

Known site method - when you have the site address or the URL

You may have come across a site address or URL in a magazine, or had it passed on by a friend. In order to connect to that site:

  • place your cursor in the location or the addressbox
  • and type the characters exactly as they appear,
  • then hit Enter.

You can actually tell a lot about what a site is like by examining the Uniform Resource Locators (URL)or the address. They can be broken down into several sections.

  • 1. The first part usually includes the http:// which is the protocol for transferring the information.
  • 2. The second part is called the _domain_. The domain is the address of the server itself where the information is located, or the source.

The source for information you find on the Internet is as important as the source for information found in books or journals. There are several different domain types that are useful to keep in mind as evaluation triggers.

  • .edu - denotes an education institution (www.harvard.edu)
  • .org - an organization seen as being part of the non-commercial sector (un.org - United Nations)
  • .com - a commercial site (www.nike.com)
  • .gov - a governmental body (www.gov.bc.ca)
  • country - countries other than the United Statues often use a 2 character name that identifies the country (www.embassy.org.uk)
  • personal - addresses will often contain familiar commercial service providers like AOL (America On-line); the tilde "~" symbol with a person's name also indicates a personal home page or site (members.aol.com~Skomit) It is important to take the time to examine the address so you can judge where the information is coming from!

Search Engine and Internet Directory Exercise

Which to Use?

1. Q.You want to find out if you have enough points in your Aeroplan account to fly to Greece. Search Engine, or Internet Directory??

A. Since you are trying to find a "specific" web site (Air Canada) a Search Engine would likely be a better choice. Try searching "Air Canada" in the Google search engine.
hint - use quotation marks around "Air Canada" so that it will be searched as a phrase.

2. Q. You've decided to stay on the island of Santorini, Greece, and would like information about the island and its accommodations.

A. A search engine request would probably result in a huge amount of sites which contain the word "Greece" or "Santorini". Try using Yahooand browse through their "travel" section.

hint : Yahoo travel is located under the main heading "Recreation and Sports"; check By Region, and then by Countries.

3. Q.What about a challenge to find the origin of Mother's Day?

A.Use a search engine when a quick fact is being sought. Try Google and enter terms like Mother's day origin. Your search should uncover the answer!

(hint: don't use quotation marks this time as you don't want the engine to search for the exact phrase.)

4. Q. A family member has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Where should you go to find "credible" medical information.

A.Try an Internet Directory - Internet Public Library (IPL) has identified numerous credible sites on the topic. Using a Search Engine would likely turn up many personal web pages of how individuals are coping with Alzheimer's - these personal pages may not necessarily be "credible" medical information.

hint : check the Reference section, then Health & Medical Sciences, then Diseases, Disorders and Syndromes to find info on Alzheimers.

5. Q. You want in depth and credible information on Multiple Sclerosis. A friend suggests that you check the Merck Manualon-line for some excellent diagnostic and clinical information on the subject.

A.Because you are searching for a specific site, try Google , a highly recommended engine and search for "Merck Manual". Then scroll through the table of contents to find the on-line section on Multiple Sclerosis

6. Q. Suppose you want to begin researching laser eye surgery for yourself to get rid of those glasses. Where to start?

A. A search engine might need a lot of keywords or list separate commercial eye centres (like London Eye Centre etc) which might tax your memory. An Internet Directory is perfect for the job. A bonus is you end up with sites that have been produced by Federal regulatory and Safety boards like the FDA.

Here's how :

  • Try Librarians' Index to the Internet.
  • Choose "Health"
  • Choose "Eye"
  • Scroll through the eye resources. You should see one put our by the FDA that discusses Lasik eye surgery. hint: Lasik stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.

7. Q. How do you find the lyrics to Monty Python's "Decomposing Composers" and "Bright side of Life" quickly on the Web?

A.Use a search engine, like AltaVista and enter Monty Python song lyrics, then start laughing. Before you move on with the tutorial, there are a few other hints you should know about Search Engines and Subject Directories.

1. If you have completed the exercises above, you may have noticed that some Search Engines also provide you with categories or groups of related sites; in other words, some Search Engines are value added and act as a hybrid between a Search Engine and a Subject Directory.

2. There are an estimated 1,000,000 new sites added to the Web every day. Not all Search Engines or Subject Directories search the same set of sites. If you are not satisfied with your results using a particular search tool, try another one. We have only identified a few Search Engines and Subject Directories for these exercises.

iv. Advanced Search Tips

Search Tip #1 - Narrowing your Search

Because the Web is not indexed in any standard manner, finding information can seem difficult.

Search engines are popular tools for locating web pages, but they often return millions of results. Search engines crawl the Web and log the words from the web pages they find in their databases.

Because some search engines have logged the words from over 500 million documents, results can be overwhelming. Without a clear search strategy, using a search engine is like wandering aimlessly in the stacks of a large library with many of the books' covers missing and no call numbers!

To use search engines effectively, it is essential to apply techniques that narrow results and push the most relevant pages to the top of the results list. When conducting a search, break down the topic into key concepts.

For example, to find information on what ICBC has said about using a cell phone while driving, the keywords might be: ICBC cellular phones driving

Boolean AND

Connecting search terms with AND tells the search engine to retrieve web pages containing ALL the keywords. e.g. ICBC AND cell phone AND driving

Boolean OR

Linking search terms with OR tells the search engine to retrieve web pages containing ANYand ALL keywords. e.g. ICBC OR cellular phone OR driving

Would this be a very different search? Why? Would this search return fewer or more web sites? More!

When OR is used, the search engine returns pages with a single keyword, several keywords, and all the keywords. Thus, OR expands your results.

Boolean AND NOT

AND NOT tells the search engine to retrieve web pages containing one keyword but not the other. Using AND NOT operators will guarantee you exclude unwanted words.

This might be useful when looking for a single term often found together with another...like Sonny and not Cher!

e.g. Whistler AND NOT skiing (finds documents containing Whistler but not pertaining to skiing)

Search Tip #2 - Use the Help Button

Each Search Engine and Subject Directory has its own rules and tips for streamlining searches; you should check the help page for each individual engine or directory that you use.

Exercise :

Look at the Help section for Altavista to find out how using "quotation marks" and correct capitalization will affect your search. Now try performing these 2 separate searches : 1. First search for "Salt spring Island", 2. And then try salt spring island. Now try performing these 2 additional searches separately : 3. First search for "Kwantlen Polytechnic University", 4. And then try kwantlen polytechnic university. /Note the _vast_ difference in your result set.

Part IV: Evaluating What you Find

Just about anyone can "publish" information on the Web. While some sites are comparable to familiar and reliable print sources, many are new. Some occupy the "grey area" between the useless and the excellent. Evaluating the sites found on your Web search is extremely important. Here are some helpful criteria for evaluation.

Smoke and Mirrors - analyzing Domain Names

Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) can be broken down into several sections. The first part usually includes http:// which is the protocol for transferring the information.

The second part is called the _domain_. The domain is the address of the server itself where the information is located, or the source. The source for information you find on the Internet is as important as the source for information found in books or journals.

There are several different domain types that are useful to keep in mind as evaluation triggers.

  • .edu denotes an educational institution - (www.harvard.edu)
  • .org an organization seen as being part of the non-commercial sector - (un.org - United Nations)
  • .com a commercial site - (www.nike.com)
  • .gov a governmental body - (www.gov.bc.ca)
  • country countries other than the United States often use a 2 character name that identifies the country - (www.embassy.org.uk)
  • personal addresses will often contain familiar commercial service providers like AOL (America On-line); the tilde "~" symbol with a person's name also indicates a personal home page or site - (members.aol.com~Skomit) A quick glance at a domain address can tell you a lot about a site. You should not, however, depend entirely on domain names for evaluation. Here are a further eight criteria for evaluating information.

1. Relevance Does the site supply you with the information you need?

2. Purpose What is the purpose of the site? Does it meet the stated intention? Who is the intended audience?

3. Source Is the author listed? Do they have the appropriate education, training or experience to write with authority on this topic. Do they provide a contact address for the designer(s) or page editor(s)? Is the site official or nonofficial? How can you tell? Look for clues in the domain. An official Kwantlen site would likely have the words Kwantlen in the URL. You can also look for clues on the page - like a copyright indicia, or an email address that looks legitimate. Can you tell when the material was written? Is there an indication of when the page was updated last? Are links functional: Is there evidence of newly-added material?

4. Coverage How valuable is the information provided? How comprehensive is the site?

5. Recognition What do others think of the site? Is it reviewed anywhere? Do others link to it?

6. UsabilityIs the site easy to use? Can visitors get the information they need within a reasonable number of links (preferably 3 or fewer clicks)?

7. ObjectivityIs the page sponsored by a particular body who wants to sway public opinion? Are the organization's biases clearly stated? Advertisement vs. Informational.

8. Accuracy Are sources for any factual information clearly listed so they can be verified? Is the information free of grammatical, spelling and other typographical errors? Using the criteria listed, compare and evaluate the sites in the following exercises. Keep in mind which site(s) would you likely see listed as sources on a College/University paper? /Evaluation Exercise #1/

Evaluate these sites for their Source and Relevance.

Evaluation Exercise #2

Evaluate these sites for their Source and Accuracy

Evaluation Exercise #3

Evaluate these sites for their Objectivity and Purpose

Evaluation Exercise #4

Evaluate these sites for their Currency and Coverage

Evaluation Exercise #5

Evaluate these sites for their Usability

This exercise is partly based on an instructional web site located at www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college.

Just to make sure you've got it, try this refresher quiz :

You are looking for the official Home Page of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Which of the following would convince you that you were on the right track?

  • 1. An official Conservative Party logo.
  • 2. The signature of Joe Clark.
  • 3. A url containing the file "Joe_Clark".
  • 4. The contact email address Joe_Clark@hotmail.com
  • 5. A contact postal address reading Joe Clark, Member of Parliament. House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0J0

Part V: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

The acronym FAQhas become standard in the world of Internet jargon. It means exactly what it says - the creators of web pages use the FAQ sections to provide the answers to the most /frequently asked questionssurrounding their page. It is a mini help file of sorts.

Some FAQ's that we have noted and you may want explained are :

How do I cite information from the Internet?

Many classic style manuals such as MLA and APA now offer sections on citing from the web; the full guides are available in the reference section of each of our libraries. The Librarians at Kwantlen have also developed guides for both the MLA and APA; ask a Librarian for a copy

How do I get access to the Internet from home, and how much will it cost me to use it??

You must arrange with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) in order to get access from home. The price you pay will depend on the arrangements you have made with your ISP. Most ISP's offer numerous methods for you to pay for your Internet use - for example, you can pay by the hour, or buy packages that allow you a fixed amount of hours per month, or you can often purchase a unlimited monthly package. There are also different methods of connecting to the Internet. The most common connections from home are through your regular phone line, through your cable line, or ADSL . If you are at Kwantlen, there is no charge for you to use the Internet. The College, like most larger institutions or businesses, depend on the Internet so much that pay for dedicated lines that allow you to access the Internet.

What are "fee for use" sites? How can I avoid being charged to access certain pages?

Commerce has definitely become part of the Internet. "Fee for Use" sites require a charge for you to access their information. Usually you have to purchase a password to enter the site. Generally, if you have not been prompted for your credit card number or billing information to purchase a password, you are not accessing information that requires payment. Use the same rules about giving your credit card information out over the Internet as you would over the phone. A lot of it depends on your comfort level with this relatively new technology.

Is it safe to purchase items over the Internet?

Although in the past, commerce over the Internet has been viewed with suspicion and speculation, there is now an entire Internet commercial culture called "E-Commerce"that is fast becoming a sophisticated and valid method of doing business. Advances have been made so institutions like banks are able to store and use information over the Internet. Again, for your own comfort, use the same principles you would use in giving out your credit card or personal information over the phone. Ask yourself whether you feel comfortable making purchases over the Internet, or would you rather deal with a real person?

What is the law regarding the posting of questionable items on the Web?

This is definitely an evolving and volatile area. Listening to the daily news reflects the lack of precedence in the area of Cyber law. Nevertheless, case law is evolving and the Internet is being slowly written into laws and legislation throughout the world.

I want to subscribe to an on-line journal. How do I find it, and how do I subscribe?

You may want to check our Electronic Journals link on our home page for the title in question. If you do not find it listed there, do a search using a search engine. Each journal will have a different subscription method. Some sites simply ask you to register, but do not expect a fee. The New York Times Book Reviewis an example of a free site that requires registration. The European Journal of International Law is an example of an on-line journal that requires a subscription fee.

I hear about computer viruses - what are they and how can I avoid being infected?

A virus is a piece of programming code inserted into other programming to cause some unexpected and often destructive event. Viruses can be downloaded from other sites on the Internet - through your email, or directly onto your PC.

The source you are downloading from is usually unaware of the virus as it lies dormant until the circumstances cause its code to be executed - circumstances such as you running a downloaded program or activating a macro. Some viruses are playful in intent and effect ("I Love You or the LoveBug") while others can be quite harmful, erasing data or causing your hard disk to require formatting.

How can you avoid being affected??
Get anti-virus software such as Norton Anti-Virus or MacAfee Virus Scan. They will run a scan of your system each time you logon and check for viruses. However, new viruses are invented continually and so you must keep updating your anti virus software so it is able to detect the new ones.

Who creates these viruses??
Anyone with the programming know howcan create a virus. People that actually put that knowledge into action must have some devious personal qualities. People that create viruses who are actually caught are now being prosecuted in the Courts; because of our dependence on computers, it is progressively being treated as a serious crime.

Updated: 13/11/07
Updated by: JA