Searching the Internet for Searching the Internet for Good Quality, Reliable Good Quality, Reliable

InformationInformation

11stst Year Biology & Zoology, November Year Biology & Zoology, November 20072007

Tutor: Ric Paul,Tutor: Ric Paul,

Biomedical Sciences LibraryBiomedical Sciences Library

IntroductionIntroduction There is a lot of very useful information on There is a lot of very useful information on

the Internetthe Internet There is also a lot of very misleading There is also a lot of very misleading

information on the Internetinformation on the Internet Some of it is just oldSome of it is just old Some of it is deliberately misleadingSome of it is deliberately misleading Some of it is well intentioned, but is biasedSome of it is well intentioned, but is biased

For your University studies, and your For your University studies, and your medical career, it is medical career, it is criticalcritical that you use that you use only only good qualitygood quality, , reliablereliable information information

This PresentationThis Presentation You will try some searches of Google and You will try some searches of Google and

Intute – this is an alternative search Intute – this is an alternative search engine that you have probably not engine that you have probably not encountered beforeencountered before

You will look critically at the websites we You will look critically at the websites we find, and attempt to determine how find, and attempt to determine how reliable they may or may not bereliable they may or may not be

You will then discover some ways to find You will then discover some ways to find good quality information, using Google good quality information, using Google and other resourcesand other resources

A Basic SearchA Basic Search For most people, the starting point of an For most people, the starting point of an

Internet search is GoogleInternet search is Google Try searching Google for Try searching Google for mad cowmad cow

www.google.co.ukwww.google.co.uk How many hits did you get?How many hits did you get? How many of the results on the first page How many of the results on the first page

would be useful in researching mad cow would be useful in researching mad cow disease?disease?

A Closer Look at a PageA Closer Look at a Page It is likely that one of the first few hits you It is likely that one of the first few hits you

retrieved was for the retrieved was for the Official Mad Cow Official Mad Cow Disease Home PageDisease Home Page

www.mad-cow.orgwww.mad-cow.org Have a closer look at this page and think Have a closer look at this page and think

carefully about the following questions carefully about the following questions before you continue:before you continue: How useful is it?How useful is it? How reliable is the information?How reliable is the information?

(This is not a trick question – once you’ve got (This is not a trick question – once you’ve got a feel for the page, continue to the next a feel for the page, continue to the next slide)slide)

Reviewing the WebsiteReviewing the Website Now consider the following questions:Now consider the following questions:

Who wrote the page?Who wrote the page? Are they biased?Are they biased? How old is the information?How old is the information? When was it last updated?When was it last updated?

Given your responses to those questions…Given your responses to those questions… How reliable is this resource?How reliable is this resource? Could you use it confidently to help research Could you use it confidently to help research

an essay about mad cow disease?an essay about mad cow disease?

Background to the Background to the WebsiteWebsite

Towards the top of the page you’ll see that it Towards the top of the page you’ll see that it was last updated “17 Apr 2001”was last updated “17 Apr 2001”

You’ll notice that the news items are rather oldYou’ll notice that the news items are rather old There is no claim of authorship on the page…There is no claim of authorship on the page… ……so whilst it claims to be the “official” mad so whilst it claims to be the “official” mad

cow disease home page, we have no idea who cow disease home page, we have no idea who has awarded it this “official” titlehas awarded it this “official” title

At the top of the news section there is a link:At the top of the news section there is a link:

““News 2001 has moved…News 2001 has moved…””

The OCAThe OCA The link takes you to the Organic The link takes you to the Organic

Consumers AssociationConsumers Association Now we can see that, as well as being Now we can see that, as well as being

quite old, the page has also been written quite old, the page has also been written by a pressure group – and is therefore far by a pressure group – and is therefore far from an unbiased sourcefrom an unbiased source

The important thing is The important thing is notnot whether you whether you agree with the OCA or notagree with the OCA or not

The important thing is that they will have The important thing is that they will have a particular point of view, which will have a particular point of view, which will have an inherent biasan inherent bias

Another ExampleAnother Example Let’s try another exampleLet’s try another example A search for the chemical dihydrogen monoxide A search for the chemical dihydrogen monoxide

is likely to retrieve the following page:is likely to retrieve the following page:

www.dhmo.org/facts.htmlwww.dhmo.org/facts.html Look at the page and decide how reliable this Look at the page and decide how reliable this

information may or may not beinformation may or may not be Who wrote the page?Who wrote the page? Are they biased or not?Are they biased or not? When it was last updated?When it was last updated?

Again, spend some time on this before Again, spend some time on this before continuingcontinuing

Analysing the Website: Analysing the Website: ProsPros

There is a lot of good, detailed informationThere is a lot of good, detailed information It is backed by the US Environmental It is backed by the US Environmental

Assessment Center – sounds like a good Assessment Center – sounds like a good sourcesource

We have the name of the authorWe have the name of the author

Analysing the Website: Analysing the Website: ConsCons

We don’t know the background or We don’t know the background or qualifications of the authorqualifications of the author

We don’t know when it was last updatedWe don’t know when it was last updated It has the tone of scaremongeringIt has the tone of scaremongering It also has a “.org” URL, used for “not for It also has a “.org” URL, used for “not for

profit organisations”, commonly association profit organisations”, commonly association with pressure groups and the likewith pressure groups and the like

Now think again about dihydrogen Now think again about dihydrogen monoxide…monoxide…

Dihydrogen MonoxideDihydrogen Monoxide Dihydrogen monoxide is two hydrogen Dihydrogen monoxide is two hydrogen

molecules and one oxygen – the chemical molecules and one oxygen – the chemical formula of which is Hformula of which is H22O… water!O… water!

Everything on the site is true – the website Everything on the site is true – the website has been deliberate written to show how has been deliberate written to show how facts can be distorted, and how easy it is facts can be distorted, and how easy it is for a website to be misleadingfor a website to be misleading

It is a good demonstration of how careful It is a good demonstration of how careful you have to be when using the Internet for you have to be when using the Internet for your researchyour research

Improving Our Google Improving Our Google SearchSearch

Returning to our mad cow disease search, Returning to our mad cow disease search, consider how you might improve itconsider how you might improve it (Which may also get you thinking “what would (Which may also get you thinking “what would

I consider being an improvement?”)I consider being an improvement?”) Try out an improved searchTry out an improved search

www.google.co.ukwww.google.co.uk

Google has lots of useful tools in the “Advanced Search” section

Google has lots of useful tools in the “Advanced Search” section

Look for an exact phraseLook for an exact phrase

Restrict your search to pages updated recently

Restrict your search to pages updated recently

Look for pages only from certain domains

Look for pages only from certain domains

Domain TypesDomain Types The domain (the last part of the URL) can The domain (the last part of the URL) can

tell you a lot about the resource you are tell you a lot about the resource you are looking atlooking at

Roughly speaking:Roughly speaking: .com.com Commercial organisationCommercial organisation .co.uk.co.uk UK commercial organisation, or UK commercial organisation, or

private siteprivate site .net.net Commercial organisation, or private siteCommercial organisation, or private site .ac.uk.ac.uk UK academic websiteUK academic website .edu.edu US academic websiteUS academic website .gov.gov Government websiteGovernment website .nhs.uk.nhs.uk NHS websiteNHS website .org.org Not-for-profit organisation (could be a Not-for-profit organisation (could be a

pressure group, a NGO, QUANGO, or similar)pressure group, a NGO, QUANGO, or similar)

Alternatively…Alternatively… Perhaps the most straightforward way to Perhaps the most straightforward way to

improve your search results is to look at improve your search results is to look at your search termsyour search terms

The quality of the result you get out are The quality of the result you get out are directly related to the quality of search directly related to the quality of search terms you put interms you put in

A search for “A search for “mad cowmad cow” gets you lots of ” gets you lots of irrelevant materialirrelevant material

Why? Because the term is now used in so Why? Because the term is now used in so many other contextsmany other contexts

Better TerminologyBetter Terminology A search using more scientific terminology A search using more scientific terminology

will yield far better results:will yield far better results: BSEBSE Bovine spongiform encephalopathyBovine spongiform encephalopathy CJD (or vCJD, nvCJD)CJD (or vCJD, nvCJD) Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseaseCreutzfeldt-Jakob disease

These terms will find websites specifically These terms will find websites specifically discussing BSE and/or CJDdiscussing BSE and/or CJD

They are also more likely to have scientific They are also more likely to have scientific information, since they are using scientific information, since they are using scientific terminology (“more likely” is important, terminology (“more likely” is important, though!)though!)

An Alternative to GoogleAn Alternative to Google Google is undoubtedly an excellent search Google is undoubtedly an excellent search

engineengine (One reason I’ve used the “mad cow” example is that (One reason I’ve used the “mad cow” example is that

it demonstrates so clearly the issues that I’d like you it demonstrates so clearly the issues that I’d like you to consider… I’d hoped that the more contemporary to consider… I’d hoped that the more contemporary example of “bird flu” might work just as well but, example of “bird flu” might work just as well but, annoyingly, Google gets very good results!)annoyingly, Google gets very good results!)

However, there is an alternative (and I don’t However, there is an alternative (and I don’t mean Yahoo, Alta Vista, MSN Search, etc.)mean Yahoo, Alta Vista, MSN Search, etc.)

Try the “Try the “mad cowmad cow” search on Intute:” search on Intute:

www.intute.ac.uk/healthandlifescienceswww.intute.ac.uk/healthandlifesciences

IntuteIntute You should notice:You should notice:

You get far fewer resultsYou get far fewer results However, each one has a full description of the However, each one has a full description of the

sitesite They should all come from reasonably They should all come from reasonably

trustworthy sourcestrustworthy sources Intute is a “gateway”, rather than a Intute is a “gateway”, rather than a

general search engine like Googlegeneral search engine like Google It is aimed at the UK academic community It is aimed at the UK academic community

(notice it has a “.ac.uk” URL)(notice it has a “.ac.uk” URL)

IntuteIntute Google automatically indexes any and Google automatically indexes any and

every site that it’s “spiders” encounter on every site that it’s “spiders” encounter on their trawls through the Internettheir trawls through the Internet

Intute only includes websites selected by Intute only includes websites selected by its subject experts (it’s indexers)its subject experts (it’s indexers)

The indexers look for resources that fit the The indexers look for resources that fit the subject profile of Intute, and which pass a subject profile of Intute, and which pass a stringent quality control teststringent quality control test

Only the best, most reliable websites Only the best, most reliable websites make it onto the Intute databasemake it onto the Intute database

Improved Intute SearchImproved Intute Search Return to Intute and run a search on Return to Intute and run a search on

““bovine spongiform encephalopathybovine spongiform encephalopathy” ” or “or “bsebse””

www.intute.ac.uk/healthandlifescienceswww.intute.ac.uk/healthandlifesciences

Improved Search ResultsImproved Search Results Unlike with Google, you should actually Unlike with Google, you should actually

find more results with this change in find more results with this change in terminologyterminology (Although neither search returns anywhere (Although neither search returns anywhere

near as many results as Google does)near as many results as Google does) Since Intute is aimed at the UK academic Since Intute is aimed at the UK academic

community, you’ll get far better results by community, you’ll get far better results by using academic or scientific terminologyusing academic or scientific terminology

Google vs IntuteGoogle vs Intute

Google:Google: Covers far more of the Covers far more of the

InternetInternet Will find you lots of Will find you lots of

useful informationuseful information But will also find lots of But will also find lots of

irrelevant informationirrelevant information You You mustmust assess each assess each

site that you find for its site that you find for its relevance and reliabilityrelevance and reliability

Intute:Intute: Has much smaller Has much smaller

coverage of the Internetcoverage of the Internet Will find you some Will find you some

really useful websitesreally useful websites May also miss lots of May also miss lots of

useful informationuseful information Although the websites Although the websites

have already been have already been assessed, you should assessed, you should still look at them still look at them criticallycritically

So which is better? It sort of depends…So which is better? It sort of depends…

Assessing WebsitesAssessing Websites We’ve already touched on how you would We’ve already touched on how you would

assess the reliability of a website that you assess the reliability of a website that you find, but let’s look at it in more detailfind, but let’s look at it in more detail

Try to think of up to Try to think of up to threethree things that things that you’d look for in a website, to determine you’d look for in a website, to determine how reliable it ishow reliable it is

Once you’ve spent a couple of minutes Once you’ve spent a couple of minutes thinking about that, move onthinking about that, move on

Who, When & WhereWho, When & Where There are lots of specific things you can There are lots of specific things you can

look for on a website, but it boils down to look for on a website, but it boils down to answering three simple questions: Who? answering three simple questions: Who? When? Where?When? Where?

Who wrote the website?Who wrote the website? Do they have any qualifications or expertise in Do they have any qualifications or expertise in

the area?the area? Are they presenting an unbiased and balanced Are they presenting an unbiased and balanced

point of view?point of view? Are they backing up their arguments with facts Are they backing up their arguments with facts

based on scientific research?based on scientific research?

Who, When, WhereWho, When, Where WhenWhen

When was the page first written?When was the page first written? When was it last updated or checked?When was it last updated or checked? Given the nature of the subject area, how out-Given the nature of the subject area, how out-

of-date does this make the website?of-date does this make the website? WhereWhere

What type of website is it? Commercial? What type of website is it? Commercial? Governmental? Academic? Personal?Governmental? Academic? Personal?

Does the organisation it is representing have a Does the organisation it is representing have a balanced or biased point of view on the topic?balanced or biased point of view on the topic?

Assessing WebsitesAssessing Websites You may not be able to answer all of those You may not be able to answer all of those

questionsquestions If so, don’t worry:If so, don’t worry:

……the answers to the questions you can deal the answers to the questions you can deal with…with…

……plus knowing the questions you cannot deal plus knowing the questions you cannot deal with…with…

……should give you an impression of the should give you an impression of the reliability of the websitereliability of the website

Learning MoreLearning More To find out more about using the Internet to To find out more about using the Internet to

find reliable information, I would find reliable information, I would stronglystrongly recommend that you take one of the tutorials recommend that you take one of the tutorials (whichever best fits your subject) from the (whichever best fits your subject) from the menu of Health & Life Sciences topics:menu of Health & Life Sciences topics:

www.vts.intute.ac.ukwww.vts.intute.ac.uk This will introduce you to some useful This will introduce you to some useful

starting points in your Internet searching and starting points in your Internet searching and will look in more detail at how you can assess will look in more detail at how you can assess the quality and reliability of the sites that you the quality and reliability of the sites that you findfind

Internet for MedicineInternet for Medicine It shouldn’t take you too long to completeIt shouldn’t take you too long to complete But even experienced Internet users are But even experienced Internet users are

likely to discover some useful techniques likely to discover some useful techniques and resourcesand resources

Further Help & GuidanceFurther Help & Guidance If you would like help at any stage with If you would like help at any stage with

literature or information searching, then literature or information searching, then contact me:contact me: Ric Paul, Ric Paul, R.M.Paul@soton.ac.ukR.M.Paul@soton.ac.uk

I can give you detailed advice on I can give you detailed advice on searching for journal articles, using web searching for journal articles, using web resources, referencing and anything to do resources, referencing and anything to do with Library resourceswith Library resources