| Objective | | | | · Use phrases where natural; they are |
| This module is a comprehensive introduction to | | | | your most powerful weapon |
| web searching methods and techniques. Assuming | | | | · Use structured ("Boolean") syntax, |
| no prior knowledge, the module will explain ways | | | | especially the 'AND' operator |
| to find what you are "actually" looking for instead | | | | · Constrain your search by using two or |
| of lots of other interesting links. Searching is easy; | | | | three related, but narrowing, concepts in your |
| finding what you're looking for can sometimes be | | | | query |
| difficult. Hopefully the advice below will make your | | | | · BUT, generally, keep overall query |
| next Web Search effective. While three quarters | | | | length limited to six to eight keywords maximum |
| of the Web users of the world cite finding | | | | · Use advanced search options and |
| information as their most important use of the | | | | specialty features when appropriate |
| Internet, that same percentage also cite their | | | | · For difficult searches, use only search |
| inability to find the information they want as their | | | | engines that support Boolean syntax, or tools or |
| biggest frustration. The purpose of this module is | | | | metasearchers that do |
| to help you end that frustration. Staff at ICIMOD | | | | · For specific topic searches, consider |
| also indicated, during training needs assessment, | | | | search engines tailored to those topics |
| Internet Searching be taken up as a priority topic. | | | | 6. Keywords Searching |
| Key topics | | | | Despite all the gobbledygook about things like |
| Part A: Tools and Effective Searching | | | | 'Boolean' and implied operators, the most difficult - |
| 1. Overview of the World Wide Web | | | | and fundamental - aspect of a search are the |
| 2. Before Starting the Search | | | | keywords used in your query. Mastering the |
| 3. Tools for Searching | | | | concepts behind a search is not as complicated as |
| 4. Which Tools should you use | | | | may seem at first. The first few searches are |
| 5. Building your Search Strategy | | | | perhaps difficult, but, once done, the nuggets |
| 6. Keywords Searching | | | | behind your information request start becoming |
| 7. Phrase Searching | | | | clear. Like riding a bike for the first time, it does |
| 8. Boolean search | | | | take some practice. |
| 9. Advanced Search/Field Searching | | | | Before typing the keywords, take your time and |
| 10. Checking the Results | | | | brainstorm relevant words. Create a list of search |
| 11. Useful to Know | | | | terms. Write them down. A few seconds of |
| Part B: References | | | | brainstorming could save you minutes or hours of |
| Part C: Practical Exercise - Lets Start Searching! | | | | retrieving irrelevant results. |
| Part A | | | | What are the characteristics to look for while |
| 1. Overview of World Wide Web | | | | purchasing a diamond? You could underline the |
| The Internet isn't just about data; it is an | | | | main concepts, thus - What are the |
| international community of people who share | | | | characteristics to look for while purchasing a |
| information, interact, and communicate. From the | | | | diamond. Select synonyms and variant words, if |
| point of view of its users, the Internet is a vast | | | | required- (quality, features) (buying, procuring). |
| collection of resources--people, information, and | | | | Formulate a query with simple concept/words |
| multimedia. | | | | first, e.g. Search words - "diamond buying guide" is |
| The Internet is an inter-connected network of | | | | good enough. |
| networks, the World Wide Web is the "virtual" | | | | 7. Phrase Searching |
| web linking these networks. Each machine (or | | | | A very effective way to increase the relevance |
| group of machines - example ICIMOD computers | | | | or precision of "hits" is to search as a phrase. In |
| connected to the net via V-SAT) on a network | | | | most cases simply means putting quotation marks |
| has a unique "address" from which it can request | | | | around the search terms. "internet searching" is a |
| and receive information. A Web "browser" is a | | | | different search than internet searching in most |
| client program that requests information from | | | | search engines. What you are actually doing by |
| other computers which temporarily function as | | | | searching as a phrase is using the concept of |
| "servers" sending the information upon request. | | | | proximity which concerns the terms' physical |
| The Web has existed for a long time, but its | | | | closeness to one another (that is, their proximity). |
| exponential use and growth began in 1995 when | | | | A document with internet searching occurring |
| graphical Web browsers (like Netscape, Internet | | | | close or next to each other are more likely to be |
| Explorer) became more popular. At ICIMOD, | | | | on target than a document with internet in the |
| Internet Explorer is the widely used web browser. | | | | title and searching buried in the text. |
| With these graphical web browsers, the Internet | | | | Find the number of listing decreased from |
| mainly web became "user friendly", and people | | | | 30,100,000 to 977,000 when using the phrase for |
| began to develop and publish web sites and web | | | | searching internet searching. |
| pages. Hyperlink is the advantage of the web | | | | 8. Boolean search |
| pages. Hyperlink is the element in a webpage that | | | | Boolean searching is an implementation of Boolean |
| links to another page/place in the same website | | | | logic and set theory. Boolean operators, such as |
| or to an entirely different website. Typically, you | | | | AND, OR and NOT are used to combine search |
| click on the hyperlink to follow the link. | | | | sets in a variety of ways and appear within |
| There are billions of web sites on the net. With | | | | Internet search engines in a range of disguises. A |
| billions of web pages online, you could spend a | | | | very brief overview: |
| lifetime surfing the Web, following links from one | | | | Search phrase: cats AND dogs or cats |
| page to another. Amusing perhaps, but not very | | | | dogsmeans find web pages in which both terms |
| efficient if you are after some specific | | | | occur |
| information. One of the biggest problems we | | | | Search phrase: cats OR dogsmeans find web |
| experience is the difficulty of finding targeted | | | | pages in which either term occurs |
| specific information. Where do you start from? | | | | Search phrase: cats NOT dogs (use cats -dogs in |
| Searching | | | | google as NOT is not supported)means find web |
| Searching the Internet requires skill, luck and a | | | | pages in which the term dogs appears but not |
| little bit of art. | | | | cats |
| 2. Before Starting the Search | | | | Most web search engines have the capability to |
| The easiest way to find information is when you | | | | implement these basic Boolean operators but may |
| know a web page Internet address or URL | | | | present them in a different way. You will almost |
| (Uniform Resource Locator) such as ICIMOD | | | | always need to go to an "Advanced" search |
| home website. You can find these addresses on | | | | function to use true Boolean operators; however, |
| business cards, email signatures, or newspapers. | | | | you may be able to search using implied Boolean |
| Simply type the URL in the browser's address | | | | using the symbols + (must include) or - (exclude) |
| box and hit the key. If you do not know the URL, | | | | from the "Basic" search interface. |
| you'll have to find it by searching the Internet. In | | | | Note: these Boolean operators are often |
| many cases, a simple search on the name of an | | | | presented as options like "include all the words," |
| organization within most search engines will return | | | | (AND operator) "include any of the words," (OR |
| a direct hit on their web site. | | | | operator) and "exclude" (NOT operator). |
| 3. Tools for Searching | | | | While you might expect that search engines |
| There are many search tools available: | | | | default to an implied AND (which means if you |
| · Web Directories / Virtual Library / | | | | enter 2 search terms it returns documents in |
| Library Gateways | | | | which they BOTH occur) in fact this is not always |
| · Search Engines / Meta-search engines | | | | the case -- some search engines default to the |
| · Deep web databases | | | | initially unhelpful OR (it returns documents in which |
| 'Web Directories' (subject directory) are the | | | | EITHER occur) |
| repositories of useful web sites arranged into a | | | | Use an *, known as a wildcard, to match any |
| hierarchical, subject-based structure. They require | | | | word(s) in a phrase (enclosed in quotes) especially |
| people to view the individual Web site and | | | | with Google. |
| determine its placement into a subject | | | | Search phrase: "Mountain * poverty"means find |
| classification scheme or taxonomy. Once done, | | | | web pages containing a phrase that starts with |
| certain keywords associated with those sites can | | | | "mountain" followed by a word(s), followed by |
| be used for searching the directory's data banks | | | | "poverty" |
| to find Web sites of interest. | | | | Phrases that fit include: "mountain alleviating |
| For searches that are easily classified, such as | | | | poverty", "mountain areas poverty", "mountain |
| vendors of sunglasses, the search directories tend | | | | areas remained in poverty" |
| to provide the most consistent and well-clustered | | | | 9. Advanced Search / Field searching |
| results. This advantage is generally limited solely to | | | | Remember that a web search engine is only as |
| those classification areas already used in the | | | | good as its database and indexes. Databases are |
| taxonomy by that service. Yahoo, for example, | | | | collections of records organized in a similar |
| has about 2,000 classifications (excluding what it | | | | manner; simply put, this means they are divided |
| calls 'Regional' ones, which are a duplication of the | | | | into fields that contain the same information in |
| major classification areas by geographic region) in | | | | each record. If data is entered into a separate |
| its current taxonomy. The Open Directory Project | | | | field you can retrieve it using its field label. This |
| has nearly 590,000 categories and 5,142,051 sites. | | | | means that if you want to search by title, the |
| Some widely used web directories are: | | | | search engine looks in a special title index (or |
| Google™ Directory | | | | searches notations that indicate that the term |
| Open Directory Project (ODP) - the biggest web | | | | occurs in the title field) where it has collected data |
| directory | | | | from the field with the label title. Many keyword |
| Yahoo! | | | | search engine also have an "advanced search" |
| Zeal | | | | option, also called field searching. This will enable |
| Virtual library is a web directory that includes | | | | you to specify where keywords should appear, |
| highly selective links, chosen mostly by librarians. | | | | allowing greater control over the results. |
| Use library gateways when you are looking for | | | | Field searching is so wonderful because you can |
| high quality information sites on the Web. You can | | | | specify where to look in the web document; for |
| be fairly certain that these sites have been | | | | example, in the title only, or the URL fields. Field |
| reviewed and evaluated by subject specialists for | | | | searching allows you to be very specific about |
| their accuracy and content. Popular virtual libraries | | | | where you want you terms to occur and hence is |
| include: | | | | a very powerful tool. |
| Librarians' Index to the Internet | | | | Field Searching is also the technique used in |
| INFOMINE | | | | searching databases. Particularly, sites sharing |
| Internet Public Library | | | | databases provide this as a search tool inside a |
| The WWW Virtual Library | | | | website. For instance, to search ICIMOD's Library |
| Funded by Danida and Sida and hosted by the | | | | database or Mailing List Database or even FAO's |
| Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, Eldis | | | | publications database, field searching is provided. |
| offers a large collection of resources for 40 | | | | Nesting |
| development-related sectors | | | | Nesting is using brackets with Boolean operators, |
| SD Gateway contains over 1200 documents | | | | to make your search query syntax more |
| relating to sustainable development, NGOs | | | | meaningful and precise. For example, pan pizza |
| Mountain Forum's Online Library, for articles and | | | | and either coke or ice-cream, and cheese |
| publications on global mountain issues | | | | Simple just type in "pan pizza" AND coke OR |
| Search engines index each work within all or part | | | | ice-cream AND cheese. But, this syntax will be |
| of documents. When you pose a query to a | | | | confusing to search engines as it can be |
| search engine, it matches your query works | | | | interpreted with many meanings - it may mean |
| against the records it has in its databases to | | | | pan pizza and coke, or coke and cheese, so we |
| present a listing of possible documents meeting | | | | use brackets to separate the blocks - "pan pizza" |
| your request. Search engines are best for | | | | AND (coke OR ice-cream) AND cheese. Just |
| searches in more difficult topic areas or those | | | | remember your high school arithmetic. |
| which fall into the gray areas between the | | | | 10. Checking the Results |
| subject classifications used by directories. But, | | | | Now you have a tough job. After a search, you |
| search engines are stupid, and can only give you | | | | have to decide which of the search results will |
| what you ask for. You can sometimes get | | | | take you to the most informative site. Your best |
| thousands of documents matching a query. Also, | | | | bet is to take a look at the title and description of |
| at best, even the biggest search engines only | | | | the page. Are they relevant to your search? If |
| index a small fraction of the Internet's documents. | | | | yes, open the page. If not, check the next result, |
| It is important to remember that when you are | | | | by scrolling down on the right side of the browser. |
| using a search engine, you are NOT searching the | | | | To view a page you have two options |
| entire web as it exists at this moment. You are | | | | 1. Click on the title of the page - even if says "No |
| actually searching a portion of the web, captured | | | | title" or "?????". Place the cursor on the page title |
| in a fixed index created at an earlier date. | | | | and the cursor will change to the picture of a |
| Popular search engines currently are: | | | | hand. Usually the links are in blue and underlined, |
| Google™ | | | | but often they are not. |
| Teoma | | | | 2. The second method is to open the page in a |
| AltaVista | | | | new browser window. Right-click over the title of |
| Meta-search engines do not crawl the web | | | | the result. This produces a pop-up menu. Select |
| compiling their own searchable databases. Instead, | | | | "open (link) in new window." After checking the |
| they search the databases of multiple sets of | | | | result, close the new browser window. You will still |
| individual search engines simultaneously, from a | | | | have the first window browser with your search. |
| single site and using the same interface. | | | | If you use the first method most likely you will |
| Meta-searchers provide a quick way of finding out | | | | not use the back button to go back to the results |
| which engines are retrieving the best results for | | | | page, but instead you will simply close the |
| you in your search | | | | window, losing the search page altogether. |
| Deep web (or invisible web or hidden web | | | | What to do when you get TOO MANY results |
| databases) is the name given to pages on the | | | | It's common to receive millions of results, often |
| World Wide Web that are not indexed by | | | | unrelated to the search. To receive more relevant |
| conventional search engines. It consists of pages | | | | results you'll have to refine or even rethink the |
| which are not linked to by other pages, such as | | | | search. Here are some ideas to help you refine |
| Dynamic Web pages. Dynamic Web pages are | | | | your search: |
| basically searchable databases that deliver Web | | | | Add one or more descriptive words to your |
| pages generated just in response to a query. | | | | query. |
| 4. Which Tools You Should Use | | | | Use phrases. Enclose two or more words that can |
| If you're looking for specific information, use | | | | appear in exact order within double quotation |
| search engines (e.g. paper presented on | | | | marks. |
| biodiversity in 2005 ABCD conference. You would | | | | Use Boolean Operator as you want to be specific |
| also use a keyword search for obscure subjects, | | | | or Exclude words with NOT or implied Boolean. |
| cross-category searches (e.g. mountain and GIS, | | | | Use the search tool's "advanced search" functions. |
| environment and soil) | | | | Limit your search by language, date or by field |
| If you're looking for general information on popular | | | | searching: title, URL, link etc. |
| topics, use subject (web) directories. You could | | | | What to do when you get TOO FEW results |
| also use in cases, where you do not know any | | | | Sometimes you will get messages like "Your |
| keywords related to a subject | | | | search did not match any documents" or "No |
| Use virtual library/Library gateways when you are | | | | pages were found containing your query" or "No |
| looking for high quality information sites on the | | | | results." Other times you may get few or |
| Web. You can be fairly certain that these sites | | | | irrelevant results. What should do you do: |
| have been reviewed and evaluated by subject | | | | · Check the spelling of the query. Some |
| specialists for their accuracy and content. | | | | search engines automatically detect misspelled |
| If you're looking for a unique or obscure search | | | | words and will show the correct spelling. Just click |
| term or if you want to make an in-depth analysis | | | | on the suggested word or words. |
| of what's out there in the Web on a specific | | | | · Delete the least important word from |
| subject, then use metasearch engines. | | | | the query. |
| If you're looking for real-time information or for | | | | · If you used a search phrases try |
| dynamically changing content such as the latest | | | | eliminating the double quotes. |
| news, phone book listings, available airline flights, | | | | · Use more general terms, alternate |
| etc., then use deep databases (invisible or deep | | | | spellings, plural forms or synonyms. |
| web.) | | | | "Google™ has recently introduced a new |
| 5. Building Your Search Strategy | | | | advanced search feature that allows you to not |
| Your ability to find the information you seek on | | | | only search for a particular keyword but also for |
| the Internet is a function of how precise your | | | | its synonyms. Just place the "~" (tilde) mark |
| queries are and how effectively you use search | | | | directly in front of the keyword in your search |
| services. Poor queries return poor results; good | | | | query. For example, "UN ~vacancies" not only |
| queries return great results. Search results are | | | | searches for "UN vacancies", but also for "UN job |
| only as good as the query you pose and how you | | | | opportunities", "UN employment opportunities" and |
| search. There is no silver bullet. | | | | "UN Jobs" |
| The information professionals at the University of | | | | Evaluating the Results |
| California at Berkeley recommend a graduated | | | | First of all, don't believe everything you read on |
| approach to Web searching. Here is their stepwise | | | | the Internet. Be careful what you believe. |
| sequence of steps to follow, which we generally | | | | Governmental agencies, educational institutions, |
| endorse for beginning searchers: | | | | libraries and prestigious publications are the most |
| 1. ANALYZE your topic to decide where to begin | | | | reliable sources of information. Be circumspect |
| 2. Pick the right starting place | | | | with information found on personal sites stored in |
| 3. Learn as you go & VARY your approach | | | | free hosts. |
| with what you learn | | | | Tips on evaluating a site resource |
| 4. Don't bog down in any strategy that doesn't | | | | 1. Is the web site published by an authoritative |
| work | | | | source? |
| 5. Return to previous strategies better informed. | | | | 2. Is the author a recognized expert in the field or |
| As you gain experience, you can begin cutting out | | | | subject area? |
| the middle steps. By the time you're doing real | | | | 3. Is the information relevant, credible and |
| heavy lifting with your queries, you really only | | | | accurate? It doesn't hurt to cross check two to |
| need spend some time first getting your query | | | | three additional, reliable sources. |
| right and then cutting to the bottom line with a full | | | | 4. Is the site current and recently updated? |
| Boolean search using phrases and three or so | | | | 5. Does the site have a professional "look and |
| concepts linked through the AND operator and | | | | feel": structure, layout, colour scheme, navigation |
| multiple search engines. | | | | menu(s), etc.? Are there spelling, grammar or |
| Following these guidelines, here are recommended | | | | punctuation errors? |
| steps to approaching the Internet search | | | | 6. Does the site have contact information such as |
| challenge: | | | | a postal address, phone or email? |
| · Spend time BEFORE your search to | | | | Rest assured that finding information on the Web |
| analyze what it is you're looking for | | | | is never a question of luck. Instead it is the result |
| · Use nouns in your queries - the who | | | | of a thorough understanding of how search tools |
| what, when, where, how and why; avoid | | | | work, combined with mastering the art of |
| conjunctions, verbs, adverbs and adjectives | | | | creating a targeted search query. Searching the |
| · Use keywords at the right "level" of | | | | Web is not difficult. Like any task, you simply |
| specificity: precise, but not overly restrictive | | | | must press the right buttons. |