Module 4 Boolean Search Task

Taking the same key words of your last search, think about how you would best search for the following:

• the biggest number of hits relating to these key words.
• sources relating to skills-based information on these key words.
• information coming only from university sources.

Discuss your strategies with the class and record the exact search terms you used in your learning log.

For the "biggest number of hits relating to advanced internet users" I used Google with the search terms: advanced and internet and users. This returned 279,000,000 hits. I noticed that Google states that the "and" search term is unnecessary as they "include all search terms by default". However, when I tried to search using just: advanced internet users, Google only returned 118,000,000 hits.

Using "and" when searching key words returns results that include all three words in each hit. The relevance for many of the results are questionable when thinking about the context in which the term is searched for. Hence, this is best suited for broader, non-specific types of seraches.

For the "sources relating to skills-based information on these key words", I once again used google with the search terms: advanced and internet and users + skills. This returned 15,700,000 hits.

I used and once again so as all three words would be included in each hit. By adding the + for the word "skills", this ensured that the hits for the three words would be returned within the context of skills associated with advanced internet users.

I find that the + is useful when searching a topic/subject within a certain context.

For the "information coming only from university sources", I used the meta search engine Ixquick. I utilized the expert search option which allowed me to stipulate edu as the domain name so that the results returned would be academic in nature. I also ensured that the search would include all three words. The search returned the top 30 hits from a total of 180,274 results.

Using advanced search options can provide much more relevant search results. Combined with using a meta search engine, the search itself becomes both expedient and more efficient.

Using the correct search terms, as has been demonstrated with this Boolean task, can make a huge difference in the relevance and amount of results that one receives. I also found that it greatly assisted in returning results that were in context to what I was searching for. I posted my searching methods for this task on the NET11 Webct discussion board.

Web Resources:

Cohen, Laura. "Boolean Searching on the Internet." Last update May, 2006.http://www.internettutorials.net/boolean.html (accessed April 12, 2007).

"Using the Infosphere: Taking & Organising."http://webct.curtin.edu.au/SCRIPT/305033_a/scripts/serve_home (accessed April 12, 2007).