The key to successful surfing | |
Don't just surf: effective research strategies for the net. |
Searching for information
on the Internet can be a frustrating and time-consuming occupation. Keywords that return 50 matching results using Medline may result in an impractical 2000 "relevant" sites to examine on the Internet. Maureen Henninger's book joins a host of other guides vying for our attention and aimed at increasing search effectiveness. The author is the coordinator of continuing education in the School of Information and Library Services at the University of NSW, and the book reads a little like a transcribed set of student lecture notes. This means that first-time users might like to study a simpler guide first, but would nevertheless find some useful tips on the relative advantages of some search engines over others and on using subject directories as a starting point. Tables comparing search engines and the characteristics of their internal logic are useful for planning searches, as are details on "multiple access services", where one can use several search engines simultaneously. The use of syntax and Boolean logic is well explained, and most chapters conclude with a list of exercises to consolidate the skills learned. I found the section on "guessing" URLs somewhat amusing, as typing in "allergy.com" reveals a Web site of which "Net Nanny" would not approve! "Digital watermarks" are mentioned but not well explained, and much the same can be said for evaluating the information found. While this is a useful and interesting book which has received high praise in some quarters, I cannot help but think that it would be enhanced with a little more flesh on its bones. Raymond J Mullins
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