DLI Communication Tools - Questions, answers and hopefully, a little demystification!
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Transcript of DLI Communication Tools - Questions, answers and hopefully, a little demystification!
DLI Communication Tools - Questions, answers and hopefully, a little
demystification!
Monia Bergeron
DLI ACCOLEDS Workshop
Simon Fraser University
December 5, 2006.
Agenda
• DLI listserv
• DLI listserv Archive
• DIGRS
• Recap
DLI listserv
• Primary communication tool for DLI community• Used to pose questions by DLI contacts
– Reference questions - what is the best source for….?
– Collection - can we please have this data set? When will PUMF X be released?
– How to - how do I get the Stata code for this survey?
– Feedback - if I have to fix ONE more of these STC surveys I am going to scream!
– Etc.
• Subscription-based (only registered users can post to the list)
DLI listserv
• Monia’s job is to help answer these questions…– ***and Monia depends on you for a lot of the answers!
• Messages sent as e-mails to list members
• Messages archived ca. every two weeks
Didn’t someone already ask this?
• DLI list Archives
• DIGRS
DLI listserv Archives
• Why such a pretty interface? » Free!
• Why behind lock and key? » Not bilingual - STC standards
» Avoid solicitations
Steps to access the
DLI Listserv Archives
Steps to access the
DLI Listserv Archives
Steps to access the
DLI Listserv Archives
Steps to access the
DLI Listserv Archives
DLI Listserv Archives Homepage
DLI Listserv Archives Homepage
• Defaults to Date Index (messages sorted by date)
Argh!!! Where do I click?
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Where do I click?
Option 1 - Thread Index
Option 1
Sorts messages by displaying the question followed by the subsequent replies received
Results of Option 1 - Clicking on the Thread Index
Question
Answers
Where do I click?
Option 2 - Click on the message
Option 2
Opens the text of the selected message
Results of Option 2-click on the message
New options!
Results of Option 2- click on the message
Date Prev - previous message posted (not the previous day!)
Date Next - following message posted
Thread Prev - previously posted message related to this message
Thread Next - message posted in answer to the question
Results of Option 2- click on the message
If you scroll to the bottom of message,all these goodies are available for you to preview!
Where do I click?
Option 3 - Search
Option 3
Perform a keyword search
Results of Option 3- Search
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
Search This is the field in which you should enter the words or phrase you wish to search for in the archive
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
Find This phrase
Returns messages in which your keywords appear as a literal phrase on
a single line in the message. All of these words
Returns messages which contain ALL of your keywords: a boolean AND
search. Any of these words
Returns messages which contain ANY of your keywords: a boolean OR
search. ***Monia would never expect for words to be adjacent to each other and would use “All of these words” as a search criteria!
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
Prefer
New messages Searching starts with the most recent messages and continues toward the
oldest. Old messages
Searching begins with the earliest messages in the archive and continues
toward the newest.
***Monia does not have time to perform her research by reading messages from 1996! Chances are the issue has been addressed more recently :) if not, then 1996 messages will be covered eventually!
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
Case Insensitive search
Ignores capitalization in your search
terms. Sensitive search
Respects capitalization in your search terms. For example, a case sensitive search for the word 'MhonArc' would not count the word 'mhonarc' as a
match, and vice versa.
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
Match Partial words
Allows successful matches for messages in which your search terms are part of a larger construct. For example, a partial word search for "the" will match "the," but also "these"
and "atheist." Exact words
Returns messages which match your keywords or phrase exactly. An exact word search for the phrase "My love is like a rose" would not match "My love is like a rosebush."
E.g., search results for “mill”
Partial = familles
Exact = millenaire, mill, etc.
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
ReturnControls the number -- XX -- of results to return to your Web browser at any one time. If the limit you set is reached before all of the messages in the archive have been searched, you will have the option to continue searching
where you left off.
***Monia is a curious person and would never limit searching to 10 results!
Understanding the MHonArc Search Engine
Search Area
From Searches the message field which contains the
author's name and email address. Subject
Searches the message subject. Date
Searches the date and time field of each message. Note: This field uses the following format: Thu, 6
Jun 1996 14:28:22 -0700 (PDT) Body
Searches the entire body of the message. This is
the default if no other options are selected.
***Monia is an idealist and would try a subject search first :) If no results, return to body search
Defaults of the MHonArc Search Engine
Find - this phrase
Prefer - new messages
Case - insensitive case
Match - partial words
Return - 10 results per page
Search Area - message body?
X
?
Monia would set as her default X Monia would change before searching
? Based on user preference
Search Results
Another useful tool is...
Data Interest Group for Reference Services (DIGRS)
• Train-the-Trainers workshop - March 2004
• Smaller institutions have fewer data and statistical reference questions
• Goal of DIGRS - provide more exposure to the range of reference questions and responses in the areas of data and statistics
http://blogs.library.ualberta.ca/digrs/
DIGRS
• Primarily based on questions and answers from the DLI listserv
• Organises content based on:• date posted
• category
• Allows for a “less complicated” key word search! • Manually intensive to load content - Thank you
Virginia and Amelia!• Hosted at the University of Alberta
DIGRS
DIGRS• Favorite ways of consulting DIGRS
• Search
• Archives
• Categories
Search
Search results - DIGRS
Click on the title to view full question and answer text
Search results - DIGRS
Archives
Starting with the freshest info and filling in the archives as time permits
Browsing using the Archives
Categorical classification
Categories
Browsing using Categories
Highlights
• Listserv Archive– 1996 - 2006
– search
– thread index
– random entries
– Complete list activity
• DIGRS– 2004 - 2006
– search
– categories
– clean entries
– Not comprehensive of list activity
X
Let’s Discuss
• Primary communication tool for DLI community• Used to pose questions by DLI contacts
– Reference questions - what is the best source for….?
– Collection - can we please have this data set? When will PUMF X be released?
– How to - how do I get the Stata code for this survey?
– Feedback - if I have to fix ONE more of these STC surveys I am going to scream!
– Etc.
• Subscription-based (only registered users can post to the list)
Recap
• DLI listserv is our friend!– Please keep Monia entertained and post your questions!
– Please keep Monia informed and post your answers!
• Don’t despair… the Archives can work!
• DIGRS - a welcomed gem for the DLI
community
Do we have time to play?
DIGRS
http://blogs.library.ualberta.ca/digrs/
DLI listserv Archives
http://www.statcan.ca/english/Dli/contacts.htm
Thank you!