Going beyond Google:
Internet Research that Works
Shelly Blackman
April 22, 2008
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Overview
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Why Google?
Power Searching with Google
Google’s Limitations
What is the Invisible Web?
Subject Directories, Virtual Libraries, Free
Databases
• Web 2.0 – Other Search Tools
• Search Strategies / Resources List
Why Google?
The good:
Intuitive interface; excellent image searches; best-of-class local
searches, producing maps with satellite imagery; cached pages and
related links; sponsored links clearly separated out into the righthand column; desktop search tool; downloadable toolbar
Source: CNET Reviews at
http://reviews.cnet.com/Google/4505-9239_7-31337412.html?tag=box
Google’s Market Stronghold
Ask.com
AOL
5%
2%
Other
6%
MSN/
Windows Live
14%
Google
53%
Yahoo
20%
Source: “Top 10 Search Providers.” <http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156451>
Power Searching with Google
Try Google’s Advanced Search
Power Searching with Google
Example: - Enter this string in search box
form 1040 filetype:pdf
Google Shortcuts:
IF YOU NEED:
DO THIS:
Definitions
Define vodou
An exact phrase
“live and learn”
To calculate
38+71; 50% of 100
To convert
35 Celcius in Fahrenheit
To search only one web site
Site: www.hoovers.com “Starbucks”
Source:
“Who’s Afraid of Google.” In Library Journal.com at
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6337366.html
More Google Tools:
See Google shortcuts:
See complete list at www.googleguide.com
Google’s Limitations
The not-so-good:
Searching for audio files
• (includes files with .aiff, .au, .wav or .wave
extensions)
Over 3000 file types!
• See list at:
http://whatis.techtarget.com/fileFormatA/0,289933,sid9,00.html
Other Search Engines for Media
• AlltheWeb
http://www.alltheweb.com
– Search for news, audio, video*
• Lycos
http://www.lycos.com
– Images, video
Search Engine Limitations
Although large databases, provides access to
small portion of what is available
The Invisible Web
The Invisible Web is that portion of the Web that is not reached by
standard search engines such as Google. It is estimated to be 2-500
times bigger than the visible web. It includes specialized searchable
databases and search engines, archives of documents, documents
in specialized formats, directories and locators, dictionaries, library
catalogs, non-text files, and gated resources requiring a password
or login
Source: Beyond Google: Searching the Web More Effectively
http://healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/beyondgoogle.html
Why Invisible?
Real time content
Formats
Sites requiring login authorization
Sites blocked by Robot Exclusion
Protocols
Sites requiring login
authorization
Interactive content
Content generated
dynamically as the
result of a query
Source: Beyond Google – The Invisible Web at
http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/invisibleweb/characteristics.
htm
Robot Exclusion Protocols
Use of blocking techniques by the webmaster or server
Password protection
– HTML blocking in the web page
– A listing on the server of blocked pages
Content of Databases
Information stored in tables (Access, Oracle,
SQL Server, DB2) and accessible only by query:
– Phone books, People finders
– Patents, laws
– Items for sale in a Web store or Web-based auctions
– Digital exhibits
– Multimedia and graphical files
– Stock and bond prices
Deep Web Search Tools:
Subject Directories
Virtual Libraries
Specialized Databases
Subject Directories
Yahoo! Directory
http://dir.yahoo.com/
Open Directory Project
http://www.dmoz.org/
About.com
http://www.about.com
Subject Directories
Best used when you:
• have a broad topic
• want selected, evaluated, and annotated collections
• prefer quality over quantity
• aim to generate a list of sites/resources in a subject area
Avoid These Pitfalls:
Browsing searchable directories
 Use the search box for a more efficient search
Following links to sites recommended by heavy use
or commercial interest
 Sites based on popularity ranking or on commercial fees paid
Source: Search Strategies – Search with Peripheral Vision at
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Strategies.
html
Virtual Libraries
INFOMINE — A virtual library of Internet resources relevant to
university students and faculty. Built by librarians from the
University of California, California State University, the University of
Detroit-Mercy, and Wake Forest University.
http://infomine.ucr.edu/
Virtual Libraries
The WWW Virtual Library
is the oldest catalogue of the Web, started by Tim Berners-Lee, the
creator of HTML and of the Web itself, in 1991 at CERN in Geneva.
Unlike commercial catalogues, it is run by a loose confederation of
volunteers, who compile pages of key links for particular areas in
which they are expert
http://vlib.org/
Free Searchable Databases
• Search tools for specialized subject areas
• Best used when you have a narrow topic
– E.g. law, health, business, science
• Good place to locate sources:
Research Beyond Google (Online Education Database)
http://oedb.org/library/college-basics/research-beyond-google
Specialized Databases
• Law
– Nolo Encyclopedia http://www.nolo.com
• Medicine
– PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez
• Science
– Scirus http://www.scirus.com/
– Intute http://www.intute.ac.uk/
Choose the Best Tool for Your
Need: NoodleTools
Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need
http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html
Web 2.0 and New and Emerging
Tools
What is Web 2.0?
refers to a perceived or proposed second generation of Web-based
services—such as social networking sites, wikis, communication
tools, and folksonomies—that emphasize online collaboration and
sharing among users.
Source: Wikipedia at
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Web_2.0&oldid=109754809
Web 2.0 Search Engines
Rich Internet Application Search Interfaces (RIAs)
Engines in this category offer a little something extra in terms of the
interface
Kartoo
www.kartoo.com
Visual search engine
Meta tool which presents results in map
Analyses user’s search, questions the most relevant engines, selects
the best sites and places them on a map
Visual Search Engines
Grokker -- www.grokker.com
Wiki
(n.) A collaborative Web site comprises the perpetual collective work
of many authors.
a wiki allows anyone to edit, delete or modify content that has been
placed on the Web site using a browser interface, including the
work of previous authors
term wiki refers to either the Web site or the software used to create
the site.
Wiki wiki means “quick” in Hawaiian
Source: ISP webopedia.com at
http://isp.webopedia.com/TERM/W/wiki.html
Much Ado About Wikis
Wiki bunfight (accuracy of online information) New
Scientist 190.2545 (April 1, 2006): p7(1).
“According to the survey, in 42 matching pairs of science entries on
topics from Agent Orange to the West Nile virus, Wikipedia made
162 errors, which "comes close" to its competitor's 123.”
…Wikis
Journal Gives Wikipedia High Marks for Accuracy, but Not for
Readability.(Nature )(Brief article). Dan Carnevale.
The Chronicle of Higher Education 52.19 (Jan 13, 2006)
“Other than errors, Nature's experts found that the Wikipedia entries
were often poorly worded and confusing. While the information was
generally reliable, the Nature article says, entries often lacked the
nuance that a subject-matter expert could provide, as well as good
editing.”
Use with caution!
Articles carry warning:
“As with any community-built reference, there is a
possibility for error in Wikipedia's content — please
check your facts against multiple sources and read our
disclaimers for more information.”
Directories of Wikis
• Wikia.com www.wikia.com
A directory of wikis that is searchable and
browsable by categories, language, and more.
• Wikinside
A Google CSE that searches text within about
3,000 wikis
• WikiIndex.org wikiindex.org
A wiki that is a directory of wikis
Search Strategies: Best
Practices
See The Five Step Strategy at:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/
Strategies.html
Five-Step Strategy:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Analyze your topic to decide where to begin
Pick the right starting place
Learn as you go & VARY your approach with
what you learn
Don't bog down in any strategy that doesn't
work
Return to previous strategies better informed
Q&A
Bibliography
Abilock, Debbie. “Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need.” NoodleTools. 21 Feb.
2007. 21 Feb. 2007
<http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html>
Avet, Traci. “Who’s Afraid of Google.” Library Journal.com June 1, 2006. 21 Feb.
2007<http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6337366.html>
Barker, Joe. “Search Strategies: Search with Peripheral Vision.” Finding Information on the
Internet: A Tutorial. Aug. 2006. UC Berkeley Library. 21 Feb. 2007
<http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Strategies.html>
“Beyond Google: Searching the Web More Effectively.” Nov. 2006. University of Washington
Health Sciences Libraries. 21 Feb. 2007
<http://healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/beyondgoogle.html>
Bibliography
Burns, Enid. “Top 10 Search Providers.” SearchEngineWatch Aug. 2007 . 19 Sept. 2007
<http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=2156451>
Carnevale, Dan. “Journal Gives Wikipedia High Marks for Accuracy, but Not for Readability.” The
Chronicle of Higher Education 52.19 (2006) Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson
Gale. Evergreen Valley College Lib. 21 Feb. 2007
<http://0-find.galegroup.com.library.sjeccd.org:80>
Cohen, Laura. "The Deep Web." Internet Tutorials. 22 November 2006. University Libraries, U at
Albany, State U of New York. 21 Feb. 2007 <http://www.internettutorials.net/deepweb.html>
Bibliography
Devine, Jane and Francine Egger-Sider. Beyond Google: The Invisible Web. June 2005.
Laguardia Community College Library. 21 Feb. 2007
<http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/invisibleweb/default.htm>
NoodleTools: Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need. July 2007. 24 Sept. 2007.
<http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html >
Patterson, Ben. “Google.” [review] CNET Reviews. Edited by Robert Vamosi. May 2005. 21 Feb.
2007
<http://reviews.cnet.com/Google/4505-9239_7-31337412.html?tag=box>
“Wiki bunfight.” New Scientist 190.2545 (2006). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson
Gale. Evergreen Valley College Lib. 25 Feb. 2007
<http://0-find.galegroup.com.library.sjeccd.org:80/>
Evaluation Survey Link
http://tinyurl.com/2gw2kb
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