The amount of information on the web increases continually, and as a result finding what you need in the quickies way possible is tricky. Mistakes while doing internet search are very common. Take a look at the most common mistakes, and then learn how they can be avoided.
- Lack of a good research strategy beforehand.
The information that you will be gathering is only an instrument that has to serve its purpose, which is help you to learn and report academically on a subject. The relation between you and information resembles that of a human being on an animal (let's say a horse) set on a travel. The crucial question soon becomes: will you lead the horse or will you let the horse lead you. If you decide that you don't want to be led, than a good research strategy will come in handy.
- Using the best keywords for the particular inquiry.
Let's continue with our travel analogy. Once you have formulated your research question(s) make sure to underline the keywords. The keywords you pick up are the reins through which you control the horse. The more you know about the keywords, the better you will be able to control the material you find. Think of words that are similar to the keywords, sometimes synonyms can turn up more results. Use Boolean search so that you can combine more keywords or exclude those that are unnecessary. (Boolean search is in read because there should be a link to the explanation of what this kind of search it is and how it functions).
- Use the wrong research tools for your inquiry.
There are several tools that you can use for your inquiry and the results that you will reach through these tools vary. In order to know which tools are best for what kind of research, you should become familiar with the main tools and learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each. You can learn more on search tools in the rest of this chapter.
Let us look at the basic steps to follow when doing research:
- Formulate a research question, because it is easier to find it when you know what you're looking for. A precise formulation is easier to support or to reject.
- Develop a research strategy. Usually research develops through a snowball effect, you start at some point and the next thing you know you have a network of sources. When it comes to Internet search, it is a good idea to make a list of sites you consult. In social sciences, depending on your level, an encyclopedia may be a good idea, but a journal database is even better.
- Collect information. In the beginning you may find yourself reading everything thoroughly, this is perfectly normal. But once you have got a grasp of the topic, you'll be skim scanning material very quickly. At this stage, it is of the essence to collect as much information as possible. It is in the next step that you'll sort things out.
- Classifying information. This is the step in which you go through all bits and pieces you have put together so far and decide what you're going to use in your report and what you're going to ignore. This is the first step in which you make the data your own.
- Integrate information. Vigotsky, a famous Russian psychologist, said that our mind work in scaffoldings. Indeed, first we put up the poles and planks of a concept and then building block by building block our conceptual mass takes shape. So remember, after collecting the type information you will need, categorized it and then start playing with it by integrating it with your previous knowledge and also by drawing your own conclusions.
- Judge your own work. Consider the results you have reached, and judge your work as you would judge the work of someone else (Take a look at Chapter 3 of this tutorial; it will help you establish your judgment criteria). And if you are not pleased with what you have so far, all you have to do start again. This is the game of research.
1.a. Tips on Formulating a Research Question (this heading is a link to point 1 above)
- Define a manageable problem by paying attention so that its central will not be too broad.
Tip. Instead of asking "Why did the French Revolution take place" ask "What was the role played by the bourgeoisie during the early days of the French Revolution". The first question is too broad to be answered within the scope of one paper, but with the second question you have at least two keywords (role of the bourgeoisie and early days of the French Revolution) that will help to keep you focused.
- The central question should be sufficiently concrete.
Tip. Formulating a central hypothesis and several sub-questions will help you give a shape to both your research and later on to your report. Make sure that there is a clear relationship between your "big research question" and the sub-questions.
2.a. Tips on Developing a Research Strategy (this heading is a link to point 2 above)
- Clearly identify the kind of information you need.
Tip. Will you be using the information on school project, or do you need the latest movie reviews? The answer to this question determines whether you'll take a dive in the Wild World Web, or will opt for a particular portal.
- Decide upon the best places to get the information.
Tip. Remember that there is more than one source of information, sometimes a book can save you a lot of time.
- Think of the reliable Internet sites where you might find what you need
Tip. The IC is a very good portal for academic information, and you can have access to it on and off campus.
- Decide whether you can trust the information that you have found.
Tip. Check Chapter 3 of this tutorial to learn more about how you can verify the reliability of the information you find online. But also remember, information you reach through the IC portal is always reliable. Click at this link (Ekaynaklar.doc) to see the steps any information you reach via IC goes through.
If you came so far, it means that you have collected quite a few bits of information, but is it useful? Does it serve YOUR purpose? The answer to this question either takes you to point 1-, and you start collecting information all over again, or you start the writing process. If the latter is the case, then you might profit from what we have to say about giving correct references in Chapter 4.
Try your skills
Compare search strategies
Search the IC portal for Roman Empire. Enter this keyword in three different ways:
- Simply type Roman Empire;
- Type Roman and not Empire;
- Type "Roman Empire" in quotation marks.
Look at the number of the results that turn up each time. (In this window there should be catalog search page, put in a smaller frame. Users should be able to try this search instantly.)
Notice the difference in each case:
When you type Roman Empire, 115 books turn up. The search program (OPAC) brings in all the sources that contain the words Roman and Empire. You don't have to putand, because the program adds it automatically.
When you type Roman and not Empire the search engine omits the results were (where) both words occur together and brings in only results for Roman.
When you type "Roman Empire" in quotation marks the results are further restricted. The search engine brings in only the results where the two words are side by side. This time only 79 results turn up.
The OPAC has been designed in such a way that allows you to restrict the research further by year of publication and language. But remember, an effective use of Boolean search, helps you save time and energy during any search on the Web.
Search engines
A search engine is a program that searches web pages based on the keyword(s) that you have selected. Here are some of the most famous, i.e. most frequented, search engines on the Net:
- Google www.google.com
- Yahoo www.yahoo.com
- Lycos www.lycos.com
The advantage of using these search engines is that you will come up with some results. All these three sites cover millions of pages. And doing search through them is excellent if you know what you are looking for.
The disadvantage of using these engines is that they are commercial websites; they are not responsible for the quality of the information that comes up when you enter your keywords. Therefore a link to a site trying to sell you shampoo can be next to a site that raises public opinion on the dangerousness of environmental pollution by improper battery disposal. Moreover, if you don't really know what you're looking for, you may spend hours and not be satisfied with the results.
Try your skills
Search for "History of Istanbul" in Google. Look at the results that turn up. There are a lot of them, but are they what you expected? Look also at the next pages of results. (This window should also contain an image of Google and users should be able to use it to make their trial query.)
You will notice the following:
- The number of the results is measured in millions
- Many of the results in the first page link to tourism websites that are selling holidays in Istanbul.
- Academic sites start to come up several pages later and move among lots of commercial sites, before reaching them.
Information Center provided search engines - Let's take a look at what the IC has to offer in terms of search engines.
- There are several collections you can search through Catalog Search, and they include not only printed books but also audio and video collections and e-books.
- You have access to full text databases that include electronic journal databases, image databases, newspaper databases, statistical data and more.
- In case you prefer face to face contact, the IC Reference team is there to answer your questions and help you with your research.
The advantages of using the IC portal include a high quality of resources; you don't have to think twice about the reliability of the resource. The information is more detailed than the one you come across in Google. You can get help by the qualified personnel. And last but not least, millions of dollars are invested each year in providing to you a wide rage of academic resources; it is there for you to research, so use it!
If you are old fashioned and prefer to read on paper rather than from a computer screen, the disadvantage of using the IC is that the amount of printed resources is limited. You also need to remember your password, if you want to access the IC portal off campus.
Try your skills
Use an IC provided search tool. Try the Metasearch, an engine that brings in results from several databases and which is provided by the IC. Then choose Social Sciences among the categories presented on the left and then type in History of Istanbul. (in this window in a smaller frame there should be the image of IC's Metasearch and it should allow the user to make a query.)
These are some of the things you will notice:
- Metasearch engine returns fewer results than Google
- All the results are articles published in academic journals and they are completely reliable.
- You can save the articles you find interesting and will be able to find them there the next time you log in to your portal.