Presentation on how to conduct a strategic internet search to support research.

1. PROFESSIONAL INTERNET RESEARCH | ERIC KOKKE
GO | SCHOOL FOR INFORMATION

2. Introduction
Still curious?
www.facebook.com/erickokke www.informationhero.org
www.LinkedIn/erickokke www.facebook.com/goopleidingen
www.instagram.com/kokkeeri www.goopleidingen.nl (Dutch)
Or meet me at our booth in the exhibition hall!

3. Who are you?

6. Professional
Internet
Research
Tips & tricks to get better results
from Internet (re)search (Open
acces)
The search process
Preparation
Queries
(Internet) sources

7. The internet as
an Open Acces
information source
is huge!

8. Preparation
oSelect the search engine you are going to use
oUse the US version for best results
oSet a limit to the number of results
oMake a directory to store downloads or webpages
oRemove cookies, stored searches, data filled in forms etc to get ‘clear’ results

9. Queries
Assignment I:
You receive the following request:
“There is an increase of theft of expensive binocolars in and around
Santa Domingo. We expect stolen binoculars to be sold to
ornithology clubs. Create a list of ornotholigy clubs in DR.”
What are you going to do?

10. What went wrong?
Mother: Please go to the market and buy a carton of milk. If they have any eggs, bring 6!
I came back with 6 cartons of milk.
Mother (angry): WHY DID YOU BRING 6 BOTTLES OF MILK?
ME: BECAUSE THEY HAD EGGS!

11. Conclusion
Wrong questions give you wrong answers!

12. Back to the assignment
What where your activities? Did you start the (re)search?
Or didn’t you?

13. Requirement analysis
Biggest problem in searching:
- vague, general, unclear questions

14. Requirements analysis
The goal is:
1. To know exactly what your customer wants
2. To prevent unclarity
3. To know what to not look for
4. Know when to stop searching
5. To add structure and a systematic approach to the research object

15. An answerable question
A question composed in such a way that there cannot be
any misunderstanding about what needs to be done.

16. Vague questions
Assignment II: Is dit an answerable question?
“Can you create a general, but small, list of references with
the latest developments on the chemical leakage in and
around the Rotterdam Harbour, limited to the most
important ones?”

17. Variables
Too many variables make a vague question you can never answer right!
So…
Make a list of all variables you can identify
Fill in each variable as good as you can
When done…. Create a full, answerable question!
Back to the assignment; Name the variables

18. Fill in the variables
“Can you create a general, but small, list of references with
the latest developments on the chemical leakage in and
around the Rotterdam Harbour, limited to the most
important ones?”

19. Modifiers
Modifiers are used to limit results and increase relevance:
- Time, publication time, event time
- Geographical location, place
- Language
- Source
- Format (reports, maps, video’s, tweets)
- Amount (number of required documents)

20. Example
Not:
“Could you create a small summary list of references with the latest on the augmented reality
mobile games?”
But:
“Could you create a list of titles, authors, main subject and publication dates from 15 articles from
these selected newspapers, Times, Guardian and Computer Magazine, published in the last 6
months about trends and developments in the augmented gaming industry in the United
Kingdom?”

21. Back to assignement I
Add modifiers so you can start the (re)search:
“There is an increase of theft of expensive binocolars in
and around Santa Domingo. We expect stolen binoculars
to be sold to ornithology clubs. Create a list of ornotholigy
clubs in DR.”

22. Collection plan
Make a plan of action for research. Nobody does anything without a plan of some sort, big or
small.
Why is it needed?
oThe information landscape is too complex to investigate without a plan
oPrevent getting lost in the Information Overload
oPrevent spending too much time on a single detail
oYou want to finish in time

23. Collection Plan
What does it look like?
oA list of sources to search
oKeywords to search for
oA list of answers you are hoping to find

24. Time to start the (re)research
oPreparations are done
oYou got yourself an answerable question
oYou know what your ‘client’ wants
oYou made a collection plan
Start the search and answer the question!

25. Search for the
right
information

26. Search engines
MOST POPULAR:
HTTP://WWW.EBIZMBA.COM/ARTIC
LES/SEARCH-ENGINES

27. Different types of Search Engines
1. Directories
2. Single Search Engines
3. Meta Search Engines
4. Vertical Search Engines
5. Federated Search Engines
6. Fact Retrieval or question answering machines

28. Specific
characteristics:
Directories
When to use:
- To begin…
- If you don’t know anything about the
subject and need a starting point
- to get an idea of the right keywords
Pro’s and cons:
- Links are pre-selected
- Is it validated material?
- High relevance

29. Specific
characteristics:
SSE
When to use:
- If you can describe your subject in very precise keywords
- When you know what your looking for
Pro’s and cons:
- lots of hits
- low relevance
- simple to use

30. Specific
characteristics
: MSE
When to use:
- Last resort, when other options
don’t work
- To get a hint, about the correct
SSE to use
Pro’s and cons:
- Searches the indexes of SSE not
the internet
- Static (not real time)
- Easy and efficiënt

31. Specific
characteristics:
VSE
When to use:
- When you know where to search
- When you know quite specific what you are looking for
Pro’s and cons:
- specific subject searching
- better relevance
- might be ‘money’ driven

32. But also…
Social Media as
an information
source

33. Search engines:
a new look
https://www.searchenginejournal.co
m/seo-101/meet-search-engines/

34. But… Be careful

35. Tips & Tricks for
reliable
information via
Social Media
Avatar
Username
Biography
Followers
Following
Social Interaction

36. ‘Fake’ accounts

37. Is the website
reliable?
Is it a likely extension?
Is the content fitting your expectations?
Is there logic contact information with real people?
Which one is real?
www.whitehouse.gov
www.whitehouse.org
www.whitehouse.net
Or: http://www.dhmo.org/

38. Serious or
satire?

39. Search Tips:
1. Use more than one search engine
2. Use AND to increase relevance
3. Use OR to include synonyms
4. Use semantics
5. Use NOT to exclude unwanted terms
6. Consider web directories
7. Condsider meta search engines
8. Use field names to restrict your search
9. Condiser using Serial search engines
10. Use libarary catalogs

40. And don’t forget….
Your colleague Librarian (or Acurilean) is quite ‘Open Acces’
as well!

41. Questions?