Lingnan University Library

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LIB160 EFFECTIVE WEB SEARCH

• Lingnan University Library
• FEB 2013
• http//www.library.ln.edu.hk/services/library-work
  shops/handouts

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At the end of this workshop, you would be able to

• learn about difference between Internet search
  and Library subscribed database search
• familiarize with common effective web search
  skills
• conduct advanced web search skills
• find out useful web search resources
• evaluate the web search resources
• Have a baisc understanding on RSS Feeds

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Selected Internet Resources LibGuides
http//libguides.ln.edu.hk/content.php?pid333865
sid2730612
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Internet Search vs Library Subscribed Database
Search (1)

• Surface Web (Visible Web) VS Deep Web (Invisible
  Web)
• Computer scientists have defined online
  information that cannot be accessed through
  search engines as the deep web
• Internet Search using Google or Yahoo
• They do not own or produce the contents, but
  merely help search what is out there
• They are free resources provided by unrelated
  parties or fee-based resources provided by their
  partners
• Please DO NOT only rely on Google or Yahoo to do
  your Research
• You will miss something useful such as free
  stuff hidden from the Search Engines full text
  articles / books and Databases available in the
  Library

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Internet Search vs Library Subscribed Database
Search (2)

• Task E-Journal Article in Subscribed Database
• E.g. search for an article Campus priorities
  and information literacy in Hong Kong higher
  education A case study by Dianne Cmor. Library
  Management, 30(8/9), 2009.
• Try it in Google
• Try it in Emerald (a database subscribed by the
  Library)
• Google Scholar
• Findit_at_Lingnan

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Internet Search vs Library Subscribed Database
Search (3)

• You should check Library Databases, 1-Search
  Library Catalogue
• For example
• For Academic Journal Articles, use academic
  databases, e.g. EBSCOhost, ProQuest, etc.
• For News Archives, use Wisenews, Factiva,
  LexisNexis Academic, etc.
• For Company Finance Archives, use Datastream,
  Compustat, etc.
• E-References, e.g. Encyclopaedia Britannica
  Online, Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of
  National Biography , etc.

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Steps and tips for Effective Web Search (1)

• Step 1 Select a reliable and relevant search
  engine
• E.g. Google / Yahoo
• Step 2 State what you want to find
• E.g. - Where can I buy an iPhone in Hong Kong
  - How old is Queen Elizabeth II? -
  What is QFII?
• Step 3 Identify Keywords
• Type in what you want to know
• Using fewer keywords will get more results, too
  much keyword will narrow down the results
• Using rare / uncommon keywords will get the more
  specific search results
• Putting important word first will get slightly
  better results
• Common words are ignored by search engine (e.g.
  articles, prepositions)
• Using descriptive keyword e.g. ringtone instead
  of sound

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Steps and tips for Effective Web Search (2)

• Step 4 Select synonyms and variant word forms
• Phrase your query as reverse question to get the
  answer
• Step 5 Combine synonyms, keywords and variant
  word forms
• Step 6 Check your spelling

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Advanced Google Search Skills
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Advanced Google Search Skills (1)

• Use Double Quotes to indicate Exact phrases. E.g.
• strategy analysis
• strategy analysis
• Use OR (in capital letters) for either or. E.g.
• trick or treat
• trick OR treat
• Japan travel guide OR Japan travelogue
• Find Only Certain File types filetype E.g.
• HIBOR filetypexls
• sudoku filetypeswf
• education reform hong kong filetypeppt

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Advanced Google Search Skills (2)

• Limit by Domain site E.g.
• HKDSE sitegov.hk
• HKDSE siteorg.hk
• HKDSE siteedu.hk
• Three dots to indicate Numerical ranges
• e.g. Angelina Jolie 20072011
• Definitions define
• e.g. definecepa

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Advanced Google Search Skills (3)

• Maps
• e.g. Japan map
• Math answers
• e.g. 40499
• Stock quotes
• e.g. 0005

• Conversions
• e.g. 32 hkd in usd
• e.g. 50 in hkd
• e.g. 39cm in foot
• e.g. 250g in pound
• e.g. 98.6F in C

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Advanced Google Search Skills (4)

• Using Wild Card Symbol
• E.g. ?? ? ?
• Using instant automatic Translation Features
• Look for Translate this page links E.g. maggie
  cheung site.fr
• Click Language Tools from Google (or use
  http//translate.google.com/)
• See Google Help Page for Details and More
  Features / Tools tips http//www.google.com/help/
  features.html or http//www.google.com.hk/help/fea
  tures.html

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Advanced Google Search Skills (5)

• Google Instant
• Faster Searches
• Smarter Predictions
• Instant Results

Example of Google Instant
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Advanced Google Search Skills (6)

• Tools Filters
• The panel on the left the side of your results
  page
• dynamically show the search modes and filters
• Use these links to filter and customize the
  results you see

Make use of the facet search for filtering your
search result.
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Advanced Google Search Skills (7)
Make use of different Google tools for filter
your search result
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Advanced Google Search Skills (8)
Example of Google Image Search
Example of Google Video Search
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Selected Useful Google Products

• Google Books http//books.google.com/
• Google Scholar http//scholar.google.com/
• Google Maps http//maps.google.com/
• (Driving directions example)
• Google Translate http//translate.google.com/
• Google Art Project http//www.googleartproject.com
  /

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Other Useful Resources for Effective Web Search
(1)

• Wikipedia in English, Chinese and other
  languages
• Citizendium aims at providing a reliable
  encyclopedia, real names of editors are used
• Baidu Baike (????) A Chinese encyclopedia
• List of Wikis http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_
  of_wikis

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Other Useful Resources for Effective Web Search
(2)

• Other than Google, there are many other popular /
  important Internet portals / tools / directories.
  
• Worldwide examples Yahoo!, Bing, YouTube,
  Facebook, MSN, Amazon, del.icio.us, CNN, BBC etc.
• Local / Chinese examples Yahoo! Hong Kong, Sina
  Hong Kong, HK Govt, Baidu etc.

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Other Useful Resources for Effective Web Search
(6) -- Toolbar

• http//www.library.ln.edu.hk/library-toolbar
• Once installed, the Library Toolbar provides
  instant access to
• Webmail, University Portal, Staff Directory
• Online Databases, Journals, News and References
• Library Catalogue and Online Renewals, HKALL
• Search the University Web Sites
• Library RSS Alerts
• PDF converter
• Online Dictionaries, Translation Tools Freeware
  Download and More.
• Other Toolbars E.g. Google Toolbar, Yahoo
  Toolbar

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Other Useful Resources for Effective Web Search
(3)

• Common Search Engines / Portals
• LU Librarys Selected Internet Resources
  http//libguides.ln.edu.hk/internet_resources
• WolframAlpha http//www.wolframalpha.com/
• Answers.com http//www.answers.com/
• ipl2 information you can trust
  http//www.ipl.org/
• INFOMINE http//infomine.ucr.edu/
• Way Back Machine (Internet Archive)
  http//www.archive.org/
• Reference.com http//www.reference.com/
• How Stuff Works http//www.howstuffworks.com/

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Other Useful Resources for Effective Web Search
(4)

• Dictionaries
• Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary
  http//visual.merriam-webster.com/
• Cambridge Dictionaries Online http//dictionary.c
  ambridge.org/
• ???? http//dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/
• ???????? http//humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lex
  i-can/
• ???/????????? http//tdc.putonghuaonline.com/tools
  1.html
• Theses / Journal Articles / Books
• HK Theses and Dissertations Search
  http//www.hkbu.edu.hk/lib/electronic/libdbs/dol.h
  tml
• SCIRUS ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations)
  http//www.ndltd.org/serviceproviders/scirus-etd-s
  earch
• ??????? http//search.ncl.edu.tw/
• ?????????? http//proxy1.library.ln.edu.hk2048/lo
  gin?urlhttp//hkinchipcu.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/
• WorldCat http//www.worldcat.org/

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Other Useful Resources for Effective Web Search
(5)

• Pages related to Hong Kong
• Centamap http//www.centamap.com
• HK Census Stat Dept Online Publications
  http//www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/p
  roducts/publications/index.jsp
• Laws of Hong Kong http//www.legislation.gov.hk/e
  ng/index.htm
• GovHK ??????? http//www.gov.hk/
• Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
  ?????http//www.hkex.com.hk/index_c.htm

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Evaluating Internet Information (1)
4W1H Approach
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Evaluating Internet Information (2)

• Authorship and Publishing Body WHO is the author
  / publisher?
• Target Group WHO is the intended audience?
• Currency WHEN was the information released?
• Purpose WHY this information was written?
• Point of View or Bias HOW was the information
  presented? WHAT is the point of view?
• Referral HOW did the author find this
  information? Are there references to other
  sources?
• Accuracy and Verifiability of Details Is the
  information accurate?
• More information on Tips for Techniques to Apply
  Questions to Ask for Evaluating
• http//www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Int
  ernet/Evaluate.html
• http//libguides.ln.edu.hk/aecontent.php?pid37169
  3sid3328580

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Evaluating Internet Information (3)

• Explore the following web sites and discuss
  Should I always trust or distrust the contents
  on the WWW?
• http//whitehouse.gov1.info/ and
  thenhttp//www.whitehouse.gov/
• ? How to examine the true and authorized websites?

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Evaluating Internet Information (3) Cont
http//whitehouse.gov1.info/
http//www.whitehouse.gov/
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Keep Me Updated RSS Feeds (1)

• When you see the RSS or Atom on a web page, you
  can sign up for RSS Feeds. For example
• http//www.library.ln.edu.hk/whatsnew/
• http//news.google.com.hk/
• http//www.gov.hk/tc/about/rss.htm
• http//www.facebook.com/LuLibrary

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Keep Me Updated RSS Feeds (2)

• With proper software installed, you can
  automatically get latest RSS feeds headline and
  links popup when you switch on your computer or
  at regular interval.
• Google Reader can be used anywhere. You can also
  share items with your friends easily.

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To add a RSS feed in Firefox
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To add a RSS feed in Internet Explorer
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Getting Help

• Chat with A Librarian http//www.library.ln.edu.h
  k/help/eref/
• Integrated Helpdesk at Information Commons (1/F,
  Library)
• refstaff_at_ln.edu.hk
• 2616 8571

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We need your feedback to this workshop !

• Click here to access the online evaluation form
  of this Library Workshop, OR, type the following
  link
• http//www.library.ln.edu.hk/services/library-
  workshops/handouts
• (Scroll down the webpage to the link of
  Evaluation Form)
• Thank you

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• Q A
• Thank You!