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Summer 2004 |
Week Two Day One |
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Summer 2004 |
Week Two Day One |
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Topic: Search Terms and Strategies Instructor: Jack
Lule On this page are the assignments for Monday of Week Two. DEADLINES: You should have your assignments completed by Thursday, May 27, at 7 p.m. WEEK TWO, MONDAY I wanted first to follow up on the basic background about the Internet presented last week. The Internet, of course, is most interesting because it can be used. In the brief presentation below, I've put together some of the basic applications of the Internet, from email to the Web. I've also tried to explain some of the jargon, from HTML to jpegs. For some of you, this material may be too basic. But others always thank me. Again, you won't need PowerPoint but because PowerPoint is a Microsoft product, you may have better luck viewing this with Explorer, if Netscape doesn't work. SEARCH TERMS AND STRATEGIES With basic background set, we can now proceed to our main topic: Internet research. My dictionary has a lovely definition of research: careful, systematic, patient study and investigation in some field of knowledge. Look at those great adjectives: careful, systematic, patient. Research on the Internet proceeds with precisely the same adjectives. The Web seems to work against such research. The Web is careless, unsystematic and impatient. But you will learn some practices to help you become good Internet researchers. People often want to leap quickly into Internet research. Their first step is to sit down at the computer and start throwing terms into Google. Professional researchers, from academic scholars to government officials, begin with a research strategy. And they also have a firm understanding of basic research terms and concepts. The two presentations below provide a basis for careful, systematic and patient research on the Internet. Once you have read all three presentations, I would like you to send me an email message before Thursday, 7 p.m., that discusses the main points of the readings. Take a screen or so and tell me what you have learned. Were you experienced with these matters already? Have you learned anything new? SUPPLEMENTARY SEARCH SITES The following sites also discuss search strategy and syntax. If you would like to receive extra credit for this week, please read through these sites and send me an email message before Thursday, 7 p.m., that discusses things you learned from the sites. http://powerreporting.com/altavista.html http://www.searchenginewatch.com/facts/glossary.html http://www.cadenza.org/search_engine_terms/srchad.htm#seta SUBJECT GUIDE ASSIGNMENT As you know, the subject guide project is due Thursday, May 27. Go to our Grading link on the syllabus for all the details. Because our subject guide project is due Thursday, we won't have readings or a discussion board between this Monday and Thursday. Remember that all assignments are due Thursday, May 27, at 7 p.m. By then, new assignments will be posted. If you have any questions, just email me at jack.lule@lehigh.edu. |