Week 1: Clear

Hello,

My name is Nicolas Wolfson and this is will be my first blog. Today I will be discussing the topic of “Information Searching” and how you can more accurately, effectively and efficiently search for the topic at hand while avoiding all the clutter and irrelevant search results normally involved.

To begin, I’d like to directly illustrate the dire importance of knowing how to search and how to conduct that search successfully and swiftly. For example, if you are working for a boss who needs you to find information on your product (let’s say its computer parts) do you know where to look? Do you even know how to correctly type what you’re searching for? Well there are many ways to improve your searching skills and many reasons you would need to do so.

If you have a limited time, lets say 2 hours, you’re going to need to know how to get the information and where to get it from. If you just type computer parts and hit search you are going to get A LOT of information that is most likely irrelevant to your company or the situation you're dealing with. Things that may help you out could be as follows:

Computer ~parts	Computer info for both the word parts and its synonyms: chip, component, piece, etc…
Computer +parts	Only the word parts, and not the plural or any tenses or synonyms will be shown
define:computer parts	Definitions of the word computer parts from around the web will be displayed
[#]…[#] [150]...[300]	This technique will search for Computer Parts between $150 and $300
“Computer Parts”	The search engine will ONLY search for the words “computer parts”

The more familiar you get with searching and the more you “practice” your searching techniques, the quicker and more efficient things will go. Being an effective researcher begins with being a proactive gatherer. You must use all the tools available to you; whether that be learning the basics of how to search more quickly or perfecting the techniques you already have.

Furthermore, it’s not just about getting the information; it’s about getting the information that is CORRECT. There are plenty of websites out there offering all sorts of “facts” and “information” but how do you tell what is accurate/correct and what is erroneous. The following web site offers good tips on things you should look for, including: accuracy, appropriateness, scope, navigation and presentation.

http://www.evalutech.sreb.org/criteria/web.asp

Well hopefully this has helped you if you have been struggling with search engines and getting the results you need. I’ll leave you with what I personally think are the four most important search components you can utilize for correct and successful search results:

1. Searching with the correct tools (+ , ~, “ ”, etc..).
2. Checking to see that your results you retrieve match with the objective(s) at hand.
3. Finding info that backs up those results.
4. Use the experience you gain while searching to your advantage so that future searches are more fluid and carried out expeditiously.

-Nicolas Wolfson