This week, we learnt the effective way to search for information on the Internet and the functions and features of Google and Google Scholar. It was a very informative lecture as I learnt things that I never knew despite using Google for a long time.
Firstly, we were told that it is important to plan a search strategy as this will provide us with relevant and helpful results. The first step to planning a search strategy is to define the research question. Next, we should translate this into an effective search query by identifying keywords and its variations. For example, if one of the key words is development, its variations could be advancement or improvement. Next, an appropriate search facility should be chosen. A search engine should be used for a familiar topic whereas a subject directory should be used if the topic is unfamiliar. Lastly, perform the search and evaluate the results. One important thing to note is not to use a single keyword when searching for information as this will produce a list of useless results.
There are also other ways to further refine your search query.
1. Avoid the use of articles (e.g. a, an), prepositions (e.g. in, of), adverbs (e.g. probably, very), common verbs (e.g. see, do) and common adjectives (e.g. fine, happy).
2. Use search filters or Boolean operators. Boolean operators are words such as AND (must include all the words), OR (include any of the words) and AND NOT (exclude undesirable words).
3. Use parenthesis to force the order of operation that is searching words inside the () first.
Next, we were asked to use Google and Google Scholar to research on our chosen topic using the method that we were taught. It was much tedious as compared to my usual research method but it provided me with search results that were more relevant and useful.
Some of the features found on Google Scholar that were helpful are the Advance Scholar search and how users are able to specify the internet resources that they wish to search for (e.g. articles and journals). Also, Google Scholar ranks the search results based on where it is published, who it is written by and how often and recent the document is cited in other documents. This will ensure that the search results are reliable and will be useful in my research. Lastly, Google Scholar is also able to locate the full document through the library or on the web. This made my research process more convenient. Google directory was also useful in finding for information as it offers a faster search. It is especially useful when the topic I am working with is quite unfamiliar.
The second part of the lecture was about citation and bibliography. Citation is information which fully identifies a publication. Bibliography on the other hand is an extensive list of sources you have consulted as you worked on or thought about your document. It is important for us to cite so as to acknowledge the source of information and to avoid plagiarism. It is also an essential feature in research work. There are various styles of citation that can be used such as the American Psychological Association (APA) style. The bibliography represents the research we’ve done in preparation for the writing of the report. It will offer the target audience suggestions for further reading on the topic being discussed. There are also certain rules that need to be followed when preparing the bibliography.
Hopefully, with this new knowledge, I will be able to perform a more effective search when completing my assignments.
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