Finding Information on the Web I

CS 102

Oct. 6, 2006

Name(s)

Introduction

This lab will help us:

1. Hone our search skills.

2. Compare and contrast a few types of search tools.

Lab

1. Which accesses a larger database of documents, the search engine at Yahoo! or the search engine at Google? Explain how you found your answer.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. The connection between dogs and the number 42 was discussed in Section 6.2.1 of the textbook. Go to Yahoo! and, beginning with a search for Douglas Adams fan sites, track down the answer to the question, ``What role does the number 42 play in the lives of all dogs?''

3. Visit FindSpot (www.findspot.com) and read their search tips on ``Getting Less Results.'' Explain the differences between these queries:
   1. dogs cats

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

   2. +dogs cats

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

   3. dogs -cats

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

   4. "dogs cats"

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

   Which query would you expect to return the most results? The fewest results? Explain your answers.

4. Advanced search at Google.
   1. Google allows queries of the form link:www.goucher.edu. What kind of a search does this carry out?

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

   2. How does the search modifier site: affect search results?

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

   3. Google does not entirely index large Web pages and PDF documents. At what point (in units of KBs) does it stop indexing?

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

5. After swimming in chlorinated water, a person's blonde hair sometimes acquires a greenish tint. Find out everything you can about this problem: what causes it, how to fix it, and how to prevent it. Look for different explanations and solutions. For each piece of information you find, rate its credibility on a scale of 1 to 10. Explain the reasoning behind your ratings. (Use this page and the next for your answer.)

Tom Kelliher