Subject Guides for Efficient Web Research

1. ITIS 1210Introduction to Web-Based Information Systems Internet Research Three Browsing Subject Guides

2. Introduction • Subject guides • aka subject directories, Internet directories, subject trees • Subject guides • Help focus searches • Useful if your knowledge of the subject is too limited to judge the results you get from regular search engines • Group information by topic • Lets you see both breadth and depth

3. Introduction • Browse by “drilling down” • Navigate through hierarchical subject headings • Upper levels are general • Lower levels more and more specific • Some permit keyword searches also

4. Understanding Subject Guides • Data typically compiled and arranged by experts • Offers greater selectivity and quality of data • But less coverage than regular search engines • Emphasis on quality not quantity • Links may be annotated with useful information

5. Understanding Subject Guides • Subject guide resource: http://www.lib.lsu.edu/weblio.html • Librarians’ Index to the Internet: www.lii.org • Click a bold topic to see a list of sub-topics • Click a non-bold topic to see a list of Web pages about that topic

6. Understanding Subject Guides • Searchable • UC Berkeley • http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SubjDirectories.html • infomine.ucr.edu • Annotations • Summaries or reviews of Web page content • Usually written by a subject guide contributors • Typically an expert in the field • http://www.lii.org/pub/topic/webdesign

7. Understanding Subject Guides • Distributed subject guides • WWW Virtual Library - http://vlib.org/ • Open Directory Project - http://dmoz.org/ • Created by contributors working independently • Each group/person responsible for a subtopic

8. Understanding Subject Guides • Not stored on one computer • Distributed to different computers around the Web • Many independent contributors have • Different levels of expertise • Varying resources • May make distributed subject guides of uneven quality and show lack of standardization

9. Understanding Subject Guides • Maintenance by experts • Balances problems with quality • They know best what’s available on the Web • Topics may be organized differently between different guides • “energy” under “Science” in one, under “Engineering” in another

10. Understanding Subject Guides • Searchable subject guides typically search only their own data

11. Understanding Subject Guides • Trailblazer pages • Created by scholars and experts • Trying to organize and link to the best Web sites in their field • Excellent source for reliable information • May be broad or narrow in scope • All trying to cover their topic well

12. Understanding Subject Guides • Usually provides • Links to useful sites • Logical way of navigating subject • May provide • Search capability • Site map • Example: EERE

13. Understanding Subject Guides • Trailblazer pages • Example: http://www.eere.energy.gov/

14. Specialized Search Engines • Specialized search engines • Best features of regular search engines • Subject guides • Limit the Web pages they search for • Available for • Law • Medicine • Technology

15. Specialized Search Engines • Where do you find specialized search engines? • http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/specialized.html

16. Evaluation Criteria • Standards to determine if a Web page is appropriate for your needs • How does Web information get to you? • Directly from author • Via an editorial process • Online journals • Recommended • Search engine

17. Authority Objectivity & Accuracy Organization Appropriate Scope Currency

18. Evaluation Criteria • Authority (credibility/reliability) • Is the author identified? • Are their qualifications identified? • Are resources documented? • Is there contact information for the author(s)? • Is the author associated with • University • Organization • Government agency

19. Evaluation Criteria • Organization (appearance vs. content) • Is site well designed, functional? • Easy to navigate? • Searchable? • Site map or Help page?

20. Evaluation Criteria • Scope (range of topics) • Who is the intended audience? • Students, professionals, amateurs? • Introduction explaining purpose of site? • Is scope appropriate for your needs? • Too broad • Too narrow

21. Evaluation Criteria • Currency (timeliness) • Creation/revision date? • Broken links • Not being maintained

22. Evaluation Criteria • Objectivity & accuracy • Advocacy is OK if revealed • Does author state purpose of site? • Content presented as fact or opinion? • Are resources well documented? • Host of site identified? • What do other sites say about this site or its author?