1. Shad Valley at Dalhousie Research Module 12 July 2006

2. The Sexton Team & Topics Helen Powell Helen Powell –Effective web searching strategies Sarah Jane Dooley Sarah Jane Dooley Pam Maher Pam Maher –Patents and standards Shelley McKibbon Shelley McKibbon –Useful sites; e-stat; our Wiki

3. Today’s agenda Sample information problem Sample information problem Free-style searching Free-style searching Share results Share results Recommended search strategy Recommended search strategy Strategic searching Strategic searching Break Break Compare results Compare results Patents & standards scavenger hunt Patents & standards scavenger hunt Good sites; e-stat; Wiki Good sites; e-stat; Wiki Awards Awards

4. Sample problem Scenario Biomimicry Light Bulb My design team and I were asked to invent a more energy efficient light bulb last week at our annual Innovation Meeting. An incandescent light bulb, like the ones in a typical desk lamp, wastes as much as 90% of its energy as heat, while only 10% of its energy is emitted as light. While we were brainstorming, I suddenly remembered an idea that I had when I was watching the Nature of Things, which was about inventions that mimic nature. I proposed to my teammates that fireflies would make an excellent model for light bulbs, because they are extremely energy efficient, emitting very little heat as wasted energy. My partners loved the idea, and now we have to write a report on the topic of energy efficient light bulbs that includes anecdotal and scientific information from: articles articles web sites web sites statistics statistics scientific homepages scientific homepages competitor’s web sites competitor’s web sites and anything else that might be relevant and anything else that might be relevant What can you find?

5. Free style search Pick your own search engine Pick your own search engine About 10 minutes About 10 minutes

6. Recommended strategy Analyse the topic Analyse the topic Use more than one search engine Use more than one search engine Learn as you go; vary your approach with what you learn Learn as you go; vary your approach with what you learn Abandon search strategies that do not work Abandon search strategies that do not work Revisit search engines with improved strategies Revisit search engines with improved strategies

7. Analysis: What do I know? Energy efficient light bulb Energy efficient light bulb Mimic nature; biomimicry Mimic nature; biomimicry Firefly as model Firefly as model

8. Analysis: What do I need to know? How do fireflies produce light How do fireflies produce light Who is doing research in Who is doing research in –fireflies –biomimicry –energy efficient lighting What What –inventions already mimic fireflies –companies produce low energy lighting

9. Keywords fireflies light fireflies research biomimicry inventions mimic fireflies energy efficient lighting energy efficient light companies

10. Use more than one search engine Learn advanced searching Learn advanced searching Use unique words; concentrate on nouns Use unique words; concentrate on nouns Enclose phrases in “quotation marks” Enclose phrases in “quotation marks” Use Boolean operators; advanced search boxes Use Boolean operators; advanced search boxes Bookmark sites to study later Bookmark sites to study later

11. Search Engines Google Google –Huge –Known for relevant results Scirus Scirus –Specializes in science and technology

12. Your turn Pick your own search engine Pick your own search engine Analyse and search your own topic Analyse and search your own topic