This lecture was about using search engines on the internet. There are three categories of information on the web; the free visible web, the free invisible web and paid databases over the web. The tools for searching can be either a type of search engine or a type of directory. A search engine is a program that goes through the internet, creating indices of websites. It usually does this by reading the textual information found on the websites. when you search up a keyword or phrase on a search engine it will bring up every page it finds that contains those words. Some examples of search engines are:-
The main problem associated with these engines is the fact that they return too many results that may be of limited relevance to what you wanted to know. A directory is a collection of webpages that have been human edited. webpages are submitted to directories to be reviewed. They will only be added to the directory if they pass certain requirements. This is done to ensure the quality and reliablity of a directory. The following is a list of well known reliable search directories all with a comprehensive database:-
The types of queries that search engines allow you to enter are keywords, phrases, boolean and advanced features. The strategies and keyword choices will effect the search outcome. In order to achieve the outcome you would like it is advisable to learn how to search effectivly. Here are some tips to help:-
- Use several search tools.
- Read the search tips or help information at each search engine.
- For keyword searches, use several words.
- Guess a location.
- Use advance search functions to narrow down the search.
Tutorial Overview:
1. Work through Monash University's excellent interactive tutorial on search engines and directories found at: http://www.monash.com/spidap.html and list four strategies that will help you to structure a good search!
- Use keywords and key phrases in the search
- Use boolean terms to assist the keywords words such as And, So etc..
- Have a search strategy, and know what you want to look for.
- Use concept based searching with phrases.
Screenshot of Tutorial:
By danijolly22 at 2008-04-18
2. Complete the online Internet quiz!
http://www.siteseen.co.uk/questions/generalknowledgehard/
Here i had to answer the many questions to do with general knowledge. To find the correct answers I had to research information using the question as my guideline.
Screenshot of quiz:
By danijolly22 at 2008-04-18
3. List the strategies you used to locate your answers. Summarise what you have learnt so far during this module about information found on the internet and ways to find that information using search engines!
When researching for the answers to the questions in the quiz i used the search engine Google. By reading the question i could pick out the keywords and enter them in for searching. Google would then provide me with many relevant webpages concerning these terms. Most of the time i was able to find the correct answer in the first few pages Google had conjured, but sometimes this was not the case, so i used boolean terms such as AND to help me.
Search engines are programs that i can use to help me find information. Through this module i have learnt the different techniques that can be used to correctly search required topics. By using boolean terms or phrases it can not only turn up more relavant results but it also narrows down the search. This will be highly useful to know throughout my university studies because it will help me get the information i need faster and more efficient and effectively.
Reading Overview:
1. Web Search Strategies
This webpage is very informative and describes exactly what the title implies, strategies involved in web searching. Before telling us this it first explains what a search engine or database actually is and the categories information is held in; the free visible web, the free invisible web and paid databases available over the web.
According to this website, in order to be a good searcher, you must have:-
- Creativity - you must be able to generate some synonyms
- Patience - when you search a library collection, you must plan to spend more than five minutes looking in the card catalog or on the shelves.
- Ability to look at more than one search engine - The variety will help you find what you need.
When searching it is advised to know how to use keywords, phrases and booloean operators to help get better, more relevant results. The tips this website gives in relation to searching on search engines are exactly the same as the ones we learnt about in the lecture.
2. Search Engine History
This website, as the title suggests, provides information relating to the history of search engines. In the beggining a search engine was a page filled with subjects listed in alphabetical order. When a person clicked on a subject of there choice, website URL's would come up. Since then the internet has grown so large that such databases wouldnt be able to handle the information overload. Engines had to grow to adapt to these changes and all of the search engines of today like google or yahoo essentially use the same principles of those that were created first.
3. Search Engine Optimisation for Companies
Search engine optimisation is a way to make your webpage appear in the first twenty results of a search. In this case if this was to happen it would be good for a company because of the advertising prospects it creates. This website is an advertisment in it self with the target audience being small businesses. The company provides a business with an analysis of there website content that will reveal any issues regarding optimising its search engine potential. On recieving this analysis a business has the key information necessary to know how to change certain things in relation to keywords and phrases to increase advertising potential. The company also sets a benchmark and will monitor future progress such as the link popularity.
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