Introduction
The ability to select search engines relevant to a users taste, preference, and criteria are important factors in the printing industry. Often a thorough knowledge of each platforms searching parameters (boolean operators, stemming, wildcards etc) can lead to quick progression from concept through to final product. It is important to continually build on this database, and concepts such as searching for relevant material is always a major player in development. This activity also involved email etiquette which under pins any correspondence in the design industry. It is an essential component in designer client relations and internal work place resolution. Any profession has a professional code of ethical conduct and none are more important than discussions within the online environment.
Activity 1 : Searching
This activity involved researching common search engines and methods used to search on these platforms. We were supplied with a link describing recommended search engines and asked to add to this list. We were also given a link for searching parameters used on Google and asked if we could extend it. Finally we were asked of our knowledge on Google Books and Google Scholar and I though it appropriate to include a list of associated Google databases.
Discussion
- Common Search Engines
The link supplied detailed the unique features of Google, Yahoo Search and Exahaled. In a competitive industry each platform strives to provide more than the next. More than 80% of pages in each engine's database exist only in that database and it is therefore important to take time and utilize the power of other platforms. Due to it's popularity Google listings are often placed at the top of search results.
Google (1.1 billion unique visitors/month), Bing (0.35),Yahoo (0.3), Ask (0.245), Aol Search (0.125), Wow (0.1), WebCrawler (0.065), MyWebSearch (0.06), InfoSpae (0.024), Info (0.0135), DuckDuckCo (0.013), Contenko (0.011), Dogpile (0.0015), Alhea (0.00075), ixQuick (0.0004).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_search_engineshttp://www.ebizmba.com/articles/search-engines
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SearchEngines.html
- Google Parameters
The link supplied detailing searching parameters used on Google gave a very complete view of how to refine terms to achieve the best possible results. The following list provides a brief summary of the major points from this document and how to apply them when searching.
- Double Quotes : Returns results with exact matches.
- Stemming : Kite returns Kite, Kites, Kiting, turned off with + or double quotes.
- Ignores : Snake in the Grass, is searched as Snake Grass, turned off with + or double quotes.
- Boolean : This link provides detail on logical operators.
- Wildcards : Used as * or _ substituting for one or more unspecified words.
- Similar Pages : Used as related:URL, returns pages like the one specified.
- Number Ranges : Used as a .. as a range or a less or more than expression.
- Meta Tags : Used as intitle:phrase site:phrase and inurl:phrase returns searches in specific parts of webpages.
- File Extension : Used as filetype:type returns results of specific file types (doc, xls, pdf etc).
- Country : Used as &restrict:country code returns results specific to a country.
- Definitions : Used as define:phrase returns definition and thesaurus results including Google Scholar.
- Conversions : Used as unit in conversion unit, accepts mathematical functions, concepts and units.
- Databases : Images, News, Shopping, Groups, Videos, Books and more can be specifically searched.
The following additional searching parameters were listed on the site below. These include relevant social media and alternative engine tags that may prove beneficial in today's marketplace with results spread across a diverse range of micro blogging platforms and search engines.
- Blood Type : Used as +Chrome returns results specific to that search engine.
- Hash Tags : Used as #Thursday returns results for popular trending topics.
- User Tags : Used as @myUser returns results for specific social users.
- Info : Used as info:website returns information about a web address.
- Cache : Used as cache:website returns the page as of last time Google visited.
https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433?hl=en&rd=2
- Google Databases
A search engine indexes pages and adds them to its own internal database. Often these platforms then develop specific archives specialising in access to image, video, news and reference material. These can also be in the form of online stores, consumer based information, and can replace standard online travel agencies.
- Google Scholar : Scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and fields.
- Google Patent Search : Search through millions of patents.
- Google Groups : Web and email discussion service and Usenet archive.
- Google Books : Full text archive of printed books.
- Google Image Search : Results based on the file name, link text and caption text of the image.
- Google Doodles : Logos commemorating holidays and events.
- Google Video : Online store for clips internally submitted by companies and the general public.
- Google News : Automated news compilation service and search engine for news.
- Google Finance : Business news, opinion polls, and financial data.
- Google Shopping : Price engine that searches online stores.
- Google Flight Search : Online flight database for airlines.
- Google Hotel Finder : Offering a service similar to online travel agencies.
- Web History : Web page tracking including Google search information.
- Zagat : An archive of consumer survey-based information.
Google Scholar can be sorted by date, updates emailed via the envelope button, all versions, related articles, and cited by results specified. Google Books can be sorted by language, author, publisher and date, an includes an about this book section for searchable content. Alternative academic databases are widely available, the wikipedia link below referencing over 100 sites.
https://support.google.com/books/answer/53549?hl=en&ref_topic=4359341
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_academic_databases_and_search_engines
Activity 2 : Email Etiquette
The online environment specifically emailing has enabled a casual approach to communication and should be handled in a professional capacity. Each discipline has a code of ethics, as well as in some form, a moral obligation in personal matters to act with respect, honesty and diligence at all times. We were asked to review websites that offered opinions on formal approaches to address a recipient.
Email Dos :
- Proof read messages.
- Consider your readers and present a message carefully.
- Acknowledge receipt of messages promptly.
- Provide a clear and specific subject line.
- Remove long lists of recipients’ names and addresses.
- Balance formal and casual language.
- Clarify previous messages with exerpts.
- Observe common practices of conduct.
- Complete a message with name and contact.
Email Don’ts :
- Substitute email for spoken communication.
- Write what u would not say in person, unless overly polite.
- Write on subjects not in the subject title.
- Assume email is private.
- Assume email is read immediately.
- Use capitalisation misinterpreted as anger.
- Forward jokes, spam, chain letters, or advertisements.
- Send unwarrented attachments, user ID's or passwords.
- Use email for any illegal or unethical purpose.
Pet Hates :
We were asked to list our own personal hates in regards to email etiquette.
- Messages that do not include a hi in the body text, at least in the initial greeting.
- Messages that start with your name and no line break, misinterpreted as abrupt.
- Messages that do not summarize themselves, or appear to be written in a state of confusion.
- Messages that discuss subjects that I already know about with prior knowledge.
- Messages that do not refer to me as sir in a business activity during the initial greeting.
- Messages that do not conclude regards, yours sincerely or yours faithfully in the initial greeting.
http://www.myenglishguru.com/skills/writing/67-dos-and-donts-of-email-writing.html
Conclusion
I was surprised by the power of the Google platform and the wide variety of search parameters it provides and continues to add to. Specific search tags like define will enable my searching within the printing industry and any further scholastic endeavours to be more productive and time efficient. The inclusion of boolean operators and social media tags were also surprising, in the past I have tended to use double quotes for everything and I now have a new range of tools at my disposal. I have previously attempted to convey the aforementioned dos and don'ts in both personal and business online correspondence and found this experience a reminder to follow certain guidelines. Keeping a clear a succinct subject title, keeping to that subject, reminding myself that email is not read immediately and may not be private, and to follow rules of ethical conduct are all invaluable to maintain both personal and business relations.
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