Google search tools
in the newsroom
Highway Africa 2010: Workshop 4
Compiled and presented by
Izak Minnaar, Julie Taylor and Jackie Rajuai
Overview and context
• Search tools and techniques
… in the age of social media
… and media convergence
(Did you know? Shift happens)
Life as a Reporter
Get a lead
Report from the
field
Work your
contacts
Secure the
perfect
interview
Research
trends
Break the story
Check the facts
Agenda
Search tools:
understanding search engines better
Search techniques:
how to find the right stuff fast
Advanced searching:
getting to source documents
Searching news:
all the latest news on your story
Search smarter:
tips and tricks for Google.co.za
Advanced research:
Scholar, Books, & Translate
Searching maps:
Search tools
Search tools
• Different kinds of search engines
– Traditional search engines
• Database driven web search
– Deep web/invisible web searches
– Specialised/targeted search tools
– Realtime search (of the social web)
• News, blogs, social media
– Directories
• Integrated searches
• New generation search features
Universal Search
Blends and ranks search results
from websites, images, news, blogs,
videos, maps, books, and more
Anatomy of a Search Page
Ads (sold via keyword auction)
Natural Search Results (ranked by algorithm)
Search techniques
Search techniques
– Develop a “document frame of mind”
– Define the search topic
• ask exactly what you want to know
• use search phrases and quotation marks
– Less but better results
– Explore results options
•
•
•
•
•
Cached pages
Latest content published: time based results
Wonder wheel
Extended results
Timeline search
Advanced searching
Sources and content types
• Possible sources:
– Primary
– Official
– Reference
– Secondary
– Mediated
– Multiple
Targeted searches
• Search strategies to find source material:
– Domain searches
– Document type searches
• Google advanced search
– Source
– File type
– Site/domain
– Region
– Date
Site Search
Searching the news
How Google News Works
Get multiple angles on an issue you’re covering
Personalize the news to get only the stories you want
Monitor coverage by competitors and other media at a glance
News searches
• Google News – realtime search
• Sort by relevance/date
• Advanced:
– News source, Location, Dates
• News archive search – timeline
Search smarter
Tips and tricks for Google.co.za
Search tips and tricks
• Calculator
• Negative Terms
• Currency Conversion
• Translate
• Definitions
Conversion + Calculator
Definitions
Negative terms
Google Translate: Text
Google Translate: Webpages
Google Translate: Translated Search
Advanced research
Advanced Search Tools
• Book Search
• Google Scholar
Google Book Search
1. Partner Programme: working with publishers to digitise their books
Title, Cover
Purchasing Information
Publisher Information
Google Book Search
2. Library Project: working with libraries to digitise their collections.
Out of copyright: full view In copyright*: snippet view
*If publishers or authors don’t want to have their
books digitised, they just have to say so and we
will exclude them.
Google Book Search
Books that are not part of our partner or library programmes can still appear in
Google Book Search, but without previews. For these books, we provide basic
information, display reviews on the web, and link to online retailers.
Links to buy
General book
information
References and
Reviews
Google Scholar
Searching maps
Basics of Google Maps
maps.google.com
Google Confidential and Proprietary
Basics of Google Maps
maps.google.com
Google Confidential and Proprietary
Basics of Google Maps
maps.google.com
Google Confidential and Proprietary
Basics of Google Maps
maps.google.com
Google Confidential and Proprietary
Virtual Tourism with Street View
maps.google.com
Google Confidential and Proprietary
Read more on searching
Searching Google
• Online tutorial: Nancy Blachman’s
Google Guide
• Google quick reference “cheat
sheet”
• Other Google web search features
and more examples
Search engines
• Selection of the Best search tools –
comparison chart
• Colossus – International directory of search
engines, by country
• NoodleTools – search strategy guide
• CyberJournalist SuperSearch
• Search tools to find videos, audio and
images on the web (Fumsi)
• Using social networking sites as a research
tool (Fumsi)
Google is more than just search…
Search
Earth
Toolbar
Blogger
Groups
Docs & Spreadsheets
Picasa
Video
Mobile
Gmail & Talk
Calendar
iGoogle
More coming…