Using the Google Custom Search Engine to Search Selected ... · Thirty (52%) websites failed the...
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Using the Google Custom Search Engine to Search Selected Grey Literature Websites Using the Google Custom Search Engine to Search Selected Grey Literature Websites
Emmanuel Nkansah, BE, MLS; Nina Frey, MLS; Caitlyn Ford, MLIS, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
PURPOSEIn support of the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Rapid Response service, CADTH’s Information Services department routinely searches 73 websites for grey literature. Our objective was to evaluate the reliability of the Google Custom Search Engine (GCSE) when used as a tool to optimize these searches.
METHODSEvaluating the reliability of GCSE involved a three-step process: • Since website URLs are changeable entities, each URL had to be authenticated for accuracy. This phase was handled by a free FireFox browser add-on, Link Checker. Link Checker authenticated a list of URLs saved in HTML format.
www.cadth.caCanadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
• Any website requiring a password was excluded because it is not possible to submit passwords using the GCSE interface. • The remaining website URLs were collectively saved on GCSE as a test database. Using Microsoft Internet Explorer, each website in the GCSE test database was searched to retrieve a speci�ed document. Keywords from the title of this document were used as the search terms in GCSE. If GCSE retrieved the speci�ed document, then the website was deemed to be veri�ed. If GCSE did not retrieve the document, then the website was said to have failed the veri�cation test.
RESULTSFifty-eight of the 73 websites routinely searched by CADTH’s Information Services sta� for grey literature (which excludes the 15 websites requiring a password to access) weretested in GCSE. Twenty-eight (48%) websites passed the veri�cation test and were included in the GCSE. Thirty (52%) websites failed the veri�cation test and were excluded, including one website that was excluded because it was being redesigned.
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Grey matters: a practical search tool for evidence-based medicine [Internet]. Ottawa: The Agency; 2008 Apr. [cited 2012 Jan 4]. Available from: http://www.cadth.ca/media/pdf/Grey-Matters_A-Practical-Search-Tool-for-Evidence-Based-Medicine.doc Updated 2011 Jan.
REFERENCES
The use of GCSE signi�cantly reduces the time required by CADTH Information Services sta� to search the collection of grey literature websites for the Rapid Response service. GCSE performs these searches without compromising the quality of retrieval and without cost. GCSE is a viable solution for e�cient grey literature searching in all subject areas.
DISCUSSION
Note: The numbers illustrated in this graph do not include the 15 websites that were screened out because they required a password.
48%52%
Screened out 15 websites requiring a password to
access 21%
Included 28 websites that passed verification test
38%
Excluded 30 websites that failed verification test
41%
Results of the GCSE Reliability Test
Included 28 websites that passed verification test
Excluded 30 websites that failed verification test
Pass and Failure Rates of Websites Tested in GCSE