nformation seeking using search engines and social networking
1. What is search engines and social networking?
Evidently enough these days the production, storing, and retrieving of information in the web is increasing from time to time in an alarming rate. The world wide web has become an almost requiring operation in our day to day performance. People are using internet information for various reasons for personal( reciepe, tour guide, e-ticketing, and so on), Educational ( learning in open source course wares), marketing ( buying e-book, purchasing goods and services…etc), reflective commentary( personal or professional blogs), and so on so fourth. Therefore, when we see them separately social search is, as to Meredith et.al(2010), the use of social mechanisms to find information online. Moreover, as to some thoughtful studies social searching behavior is the posting of question to a Q&A site where other users (typically not known personally to the asker) can reply their possible opinions, reference to further resources(library, software…), or suggestions. However, there is possibility that social search can also involve the use of search engines, if the engine indexes social media (e.g., public Twitter, linkedin posts) or uses community members‟ actions to rank results or social tagging systems such as delicious (delicious.com)” (Meredith et.al, 2010, p.1). For instance, this is one of the social networking bing used for information seeking purpose called Linkedin. Thus, the ‘The elearning Guild’ sub members of linkedin are exchanging information by asking and replying messages to each others questions.
Search engine, in the other way, is a database created by software programs and focuses on databases created by keyword to find web sites therefore covers a large portion of the web than directories (Wendy (2007). For instance, www.msn.com, www.google.com, www.search.yahoo.com are some of the most commonly used searching engines. As I have stated earlier, searching information using social search can include the use of search engines. Similarly, there are meta search engines like www.dogpile.com that present search results from various search engines together on one page.
2. Studies related to searching information using social
networks and search engines?
First I would like to appreciate to the investigators (Meredith Ringel Morris, Jaime Teevan, Katrina Panovich) for their basically significant lab study on comparing the social and non-social search complex and self-motivated information seeking works.
Accordingly, they have shown that using either of the information searching mechanisms has their own merest and demerits. It’s true that there are time that social searching would be more useful and convenient than searching engines and vise versa.
The conclusion on the comparison of searching on searching engines and asking on social networks is that most people will prefer to use a search engine to complete their chosen task than asking. This is because, as to Meredith et.al (2010), the very short time frame that people on face book or tweeter had to reply on an average half an hour.
However, I would prefer to indicate also the key difference they have scrutinized and suggested based on benefits in between social search and engines. The reasons searching is indicated as successful is:
1. Meredith et.al, 2010, using search engine provides the list of information with control over the search process, besides searchers also found answers more faster. Consequently, the result shows that the preference is more on seach
engines though few has also indicated that facebook might yield more responses given more time.
2. Meredith et.al, 2010 , the search engine also provides you with unlimited chance to refine the way you express the information in need as you learn more about the topic in a times.
3. The other success in using search engine is that the information it gives you is less biased than asking in facebook or tweeter. This usualy the problem with the social searching that people may reply with more personal, opinion and so on like the example provided in the article, “It feels to me like sources from the internet are more likely to be „authoritative‟ on the subject matter instead of the obviously biased opinions of friends.” (Meredith et.al, 2010, p.1)
Basically, it’s true that social networking has its own benefits what searching doesn’t have. The research output by Meredith also indicates similar to this. Most participants of the research has explained as searching was ordinarily preferred, however there were also some who has pointed out that asking in social networking has its own benefits. Among which:
1. It’s more motivating to ask than to search especially to people tie together on a similar interests. Then this will create a joy, and trust among our themselves.
2. Other success of using asking than searching as clearly stated is, “ The only participant who preferred the results from Facebook to those found with a
search engine liked the fact that her social network knew information about her, and thus was able to provide more customized answers. She explained
that what she found, ‘was completely relevant because the people know me and my daughter and what we would like – a search engine isn’t going to
know that’” ( Meredith et.al, 2010, p.3)
3. The usual displayed information exchange that anyone can recognize in asking using social networking(facebook, tweeter) is subjective questions
or opinion( for instance, what is the cheapest restaurant in Palma de mallorica, motel, direction to walk in the norther Spain, recipe and so on)
which you can’t find it in searching engines.
Besides, this has also the opportunity to improve the socialization behavior and skills among interactors. Therefore, on the basis of the above mentioned points each of them has their own strong contribution to our seeking information, hence it’s advised that we can use both of the searching and asking simultaneously considering the type of question or search issue we have. As both of the are complementary, these days there is a chance to get lists information which is sourced from both. Particularly while searching in searching engines.
3. Personal Opinion
I am so pleased to be exposed to the issue, and some scientifically investigated articles . Therefore, it does show not only where information is repository, but also how information can be best retrieved with which methods and searching ways in effective and efficient way. Hence, beyond the other many functions we get from searching engines and social networking, to know how best to feed ourselves with which means is quite significant. My case could be and additional example. As I told you I have lost my essay, as there happed a power cut intervention while composing. Then, I logged in to www.openoffice.org, for I am using Ubuntu desk top application,and I have posted my question to get some solutions to my problem. Of course, I couldn’t get an immediate reply, but read solutions to a similar probles that has been posted by someone else.
While I was reading other related materials, in one of them I have also found a website that provides us with lists of information sources in three column with request for rating. The site is www.blindsearch.fejus.com. Therefore, I consider the contingency of
being happening challenges in information seeking either in searching or asking,but with both its own unique features and advantages.
Reference:
1. Wendy E. M, 2007. ‘Search Smart: Locating and evaluating the Best of the Web’ , University of Georgia School of Law Library , pp. 1-25
2. Meredith RM, Jaime T, and Katrina Panovich 2007, ‘A Comparison of Information Seeking Using Search Engines and Social Networks ‘, ‘Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence ‘, pp.1-4
