This document discusses searching the web and evaluating web resources. It explains the differences between major search engines like Google and meta search engines like DogPile. It provides tips for effective searching using operators like "+" and quotation marks. The document also reviews how to analyze URLs and file structures to evaluate the authenticity of web sources. It identifies types of web resources to approach critically like vanity publishing and advertising sites.

1. Success Matters – Week 4
Searching the Web
Evaluating Web Resources

2. Searching the Web
• What is a search engine?
• What’s the difference between a “major”
search engine and a “meta” search engine?

3. • Alta Vista - large database, capable of complex search
techniques & specialized searches
• Excite - attempts to find concepts related to search
terms with "Search for more documents like this one"
• Google - results ranked by "importance" measured by
which sites and how many sites link to the page.
• HotBot - complex searches, sophisticated limitation
abilities
Major Search Engines

4. Meta Search Engines
• WebCrawler – Searches top search engines
including Google, Yahoo!, MSN search, and
more.
• Cnet Search.com - Searches 11 engines or
choose search by subject category.
• DogPile - Simple and Boolean searches 25
search engines, you choose order.

5. Searching
• What is the purpose of the “+” sign?
• What is the purpose of quotation marks?

6. Searching
• What is a boolean operator?
• AND, AND NOT, OR

7. Question?
• How would you prepare a search on the Web
for a project on The History of Tobogganing
in Canada?

8. Suggestions?
• History + toboggan + Canada
• History AND toboggan AND Canada
• Tobaggan AND Canada
• History AND toboggan

9. URLs
• Learning about Web addresses or URLs
(universe resource locators) will assist in
determining the authenticity of the source.

10. URL’s Broken Down

11. File Structure
• File structure hierarchy
apa.org
Home organization
monitor/oct00/
File folders
Actual document workplace.html

12. Dot ?
• .org – charitable organization
• .ca – country
• .on.ca – province, country
• .edu – American postsecondary school
• .com – commercial business
• .net – suffix

13. Watch out for
• Vanity publishing
• A specific document that has information of
value but hasn't been through the peer review
process or hasn't been published by academic
sources
• Requires the reader's critical analysis.

14. More
• Public Relations or Advertising
• Sites designed to promote a specific company,
point of view, or self-publishing.
• Find the Right School

15. And more…
• Blogs
• Some blogs are written by authorities, others
are venues to promote a certain point of view.
• Eg. Stephen Downes – www.downes.ca
• http://www.crooksandliars.com