Maximizing Internet Search Engines Instructor: Melissa Rethlefsen Capacity Building Workshop June 18 th -19 th , 2003

Agenda About search engines Searching tips Other places to search Practice

About search engines

Searching tips

Other places to search

Practice

What are Search Engines? Databases of full-text web pages

Searching the Whole Web? Impossible!

Search Engines at Work “Spiders” collect information Information is old You search the collection Must guess at keywords, terms

“Spiders” collect information

Information is old

You search the collection

Must guess at keywords, terms

Think About Your Search… Descriptive Terms/Keywords Specific or General Information? Equivalent Terms, Variant Spellings?

Descriptive Terms/Keywords

Specific or General Information?

Equivalent Terms, Variant Spellings?

Learn About Your Engine All Engines Work Differently

Recommended Search Engines Google The best and largest search engine AllTheWeb AltaVista

Google

The best and largest search engine

AllTheWeb

AltaVista

Search More Than 1 Place All Engines Have Different Information

Try a MetaSearch Engine Multiple engines, analysis tools SurfWax, IxQuick, Vivisimo

Use Multiple Keywords Health promotion – 2,560,000 Health promotion marketing – 924,000 Health promotion social marketing – 517,000 Health promotion social marketing asthma – 15,600 Health promotion social marketing asthma adolescents – 3,780 Health – 101,000,000 Health - 101 million Health promotion - 2,560,000 Health promotion marketing - 924,000 Health promotion social marketing - 517,000 Health promotion social marketing asthma - 15,600 Health promotion social marketing asthma adolescents - 3,780

Quotation Marks Proper Names, Distinct Phrases “Public Health Nursing” “American Journal of Health Education” "Capacity Building"

“ Learn the Lingo” Use Boolean Query Language for Better Results AND, OR, NOT

Boolean Queries… "Social Marketing" "Health Promotion" AND OR

Variant Terms and Different Spellings “High blood pressure” OR hypertension Pediatrics OR paediatrics

Exclude Words monkey pox NOT chicken

Use Advanced Searches Advanced Search Form Boolean Querying Stemming/Truncating Domain/Site Limits Language Limits

Advanced Search Form

Boolean Querying

Stemming/Truncating

Domain/Site Limits

Language Limits

Install a Toolbar Google’s Toolbar for IE: Much More!!! Highlights Terms Shows Relative “Rank”

Much More!!!

Highlights Terms

Shows Relative “Rank”

Try the Elusive Invisible Web

What’s Wrong With Search Engines? 90% of Internet hidden Spiders can’t recognize Only exists dynamically Must authenticate

90% of Internet hidden

Spiders can’t recognize

Only exists dynamically

Must authenticate

Finding the Hidden Information Subject directories list specialized databases Search engines with: keywords AND “database” Use an Invisible Web directory

Subject directories list specialized databases

Search engines with:

keywords AND “database”

Use an Invisible Web directory

Go to Your Library! Authenticated databases Online journal article access High-quality information Expert help

Authenticated databases

Online journal article access

High-quality information

Expert help

And Most Importantly… Adapt and Change Your Strategy

Using Google: The Best of the Best

Find Information On… Most Recent Update of the CDC’s Definition of SARS

Find… Photographs of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Find A… Pamphlet for Educating Spanish-Speakers About Pap Smears

Locate… The Google Toolbar Installation Files and Instructions

Find a Specialized Database On… Toxicological Effects of Chemicals on Humans

Find A… Photograph of Lungs Damaged from Smoking

Find a Curriculum for… Teaching Adolescents About AIDS