Here are the annotated answers to the quiz. If you understand these questions, and get most of them right, you are a long way towards becoming a search expert!
1. Web databases like Yahoo, Alta Vista, and Lycos differ in what aspect?
a. Each one indexes a different set of pages.
b. Each one has a different way to allow users to search the database.
c. Each one is better at certain types of search requests.
d. All of the above.
Each web database is very different in the listed aspects and many more. AskScott helps you pick through the mess of web databases and find the one best related to your search.
2. Which is better?
a. A web database that indexes every single word on every single page.
b. A web database that only indexes important terms and phrases.
c. A web database that indexes by placing pages in pre-made directory
structure.
d. There are no way to tell without knowing the search request.
You will hear claims of this or that web database being the "best one". But, without knowing the search request, there's no way to tell which database will be best for that search. No web database is good at handling all types of requests.
3. If you are wanting to find an introductory group of pages on football.
What type of tool is most suited to this?
a. A full-text indexed web database (like Alta Vista).
b. A keyword-indexed web database (like Lycos).
c. A pick-list, directory structured database (like Yahoo).
d. A Usenet News search tool (like DejaNews).
Yahoo is good when you are looking for a starting point on a general topic. It is much easier and faster to use than the larger search engines, and you get a higher percentage of relevant results. However, if your topic is not listed as a directory listing in Yahoo, it won't be much good.
4. If you are wanting to find places on the web where the name "Scott
Nicholson" appears, where would you go?
a. A full-text indexed web database (like Alta Vista).
b. A keyword-indexed web database (like Lycos).
c. A pick-list, directory structured database (like Yahoo).
d. A gopher search tool(like Veronica).
Full-text databases (like Alta Vista) excel at finding every place on a page where a name or other uncommon word/phrase is listed. As they index every word, they won't miss a reference to a person, regardless of how slight it is.
5. Where would you look for information on Oklahoma History?
a. A full-text indexed web database (like Alta Vista).
b. A keyword-indexed web database (like Lycos).
c. A pick-list, directory structured database (like Yahoo).
d. Oklahoma. No, really. Pick one of the other three.
As Oklahoma History is not a common topic, but isn't not a name or other specific word, a Keyword database (like Lycos) will be the best choice for this search. You'll find that most of your searches will fall into this category. Oh, and if you insisted on Oklahoma, I'll have to give it to you.
6. What is the most important step when deciding what to type in a search
engine?
a. Enter the search request in the way that you thought of it.
b. Make sure that proper nouns are capitalized.
c. Specify and simplify the search request.
d. Make sure you don't enter any homonyms.
It's important that you don't enter the search request in the way you thought of it - otherwise, you probably won't be happy with the results. Capitalization usually doesn't matter in a search request. Watching for homonyms can be important, but not as important as specifying and simplifying the search request. Take the search request, break it down into facets, develop synonyms, combine terms, and use that to search.
7. Which of the following Boolean searches best fits the search request:
"I want pages about vaccinations for lockjaw, otherwise known as tetanus."
a. vaccination OR (lockjaw AND tetanus)
b. vaccination AND (lockjaw OR tetanus)
c. vaccination AND (lockjaw AND tetanus)
d. vaccination OR (lockjaw OR tetanus)
Choice A will find you works you're looking for, but a lot of other
stuff as well (such as works with vaccination but not lockjaw/tetanus,
and works about lockjaw/tetanus, but nothing about vaccination.)
Choice C will only find works if they contain vaccination, lockjaw,
and tetanus. If a work doesn't contain lockjaw AND tetanus, it won't make
it.
Choice D is like choice A, but worse as it brings in pages with either
lockjaw or tetanus.
Choice B is the right choice - it will bring in works with vaccination
that also have the words lockjaw or tetanus on them.
8. Which of the following natural language (or Pseudo-Boolean) searches
is the best for this: "I want to know where Cheap Trick is playing
in the next year, but I don't like one of their opening acts - Milli Vanilli,
so I want to find a date when they don't open with Milli Vanilli".
a. +Cheap Trick tour dates -Milli Vanilli
b. tour dates +"Cheap Trick" -Milli Vanilli
c. -"Milli Vanilli" +"Cheap Trick" "tour
dates"
d. tour dates +"Cheap Trick" -"Milli Vanilli"
Always use phrases whenever possible. If you don't use a phrase with the + or - symbol, then that symbol will only function on the word it is placed in front of. For example, in +Cheap Trick, the + would only apply to the word Cheap. By putting Cheap Trick in quotes, the + applies to the phrase "Cheap Trick". The third one is the best because it also uses a phrase for tour dates. Choice D is marginally less effective than C, and would make a good second search if the first one doesn't find anything.
9. When typing in a search in a box at a pick-list site (like Yahoo),
you should:
a. Make sure and follow all of the guidelines for search engines.
b. Use phrases whenever possible.
c. Only use a single word.
d. Use Boolean constructs to join your search terms.
Pick-list searching will only search the directory entries and a small amount about each page. Multi-term searching in this case will not be helpful. Instead, select the most important word and search for that first. It will make your searching much easier and faster.
10. What does AskScott do for you?
a. Helps you decide which web database is best.
b. Gives you personalized tips for each search engine.
c. Keeps up with changes in the web databases so you don't have to.
d. All of the above.
AskScott helps you do all of this. After using AskScott for a while, you will get a feel as to which databases are the best. However, you do need to check back occasionally to see if the search engines have changed.
Well, that's it. I'd bet you did pretty good. If you're ready to go to AskScott, it's ready for you!
If you're still having trouble, some more searching examples are provided to help you go from a search request to the search terms.