1. 58 th Annual Southeastern Turfgrass Conference May 4, 2004 Pete Cookingham Turfgrass Information Center Michigan State University Libraries tic.msu.edu Getting Answers: Using the Web Effectively

2. Finding Aids to the Web 2 classes of “finding aids” – Guide pages  Most useful for browsing – Search engines  Most useful for searching

3. Guide Pages  Often called “Links” pages  Contain lists of connections to other sites on web  Most turf sites include a links page  Lots of these out there!

4. 3 examples of guide sites for turfgrass interests  These approaches are based on a national/international approach: These approaches are based on a national/international approach: –The Ultimate Turfgrass Links Page -- Doug Karcher, University of ArkansasThe Ultimate Turfgrass Links Page -- Doug Karcher, University of Arkansas –http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/turf/Turflinks/http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/turf/Turflinks/

6. 3 examples of guide sites for turfgrass interests  These approaches are based on a national/international approach: These approaches are based on a national/international approach: –The Ultimate Turfgrass Links Page -- Doug Karcher, University of ArkansasThe Ultimate Turfgrass Links Page -- Doug Karcher, University of Arkansas –http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/turf/Turflinks/http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/turf/Turflinks/ –Turfgrass Links -- Guelph Turfgrass Institute http://www.uoguelph.ca/GTI.linkfram.htmTurfgrass Links -- Guelph Turfgrass Institute http://www.uoguelph.ca/GTI.linkfram.htm

8. 3 examples of guide sites for turfgrass interests  These approaches are based on a national/international approach: These approaches are based on a national/international approach: –The Ultimate Turfgrass Links Page -- Doug Karcher, University of ArkansasThe Ultimate Turfgrass Links Page -- Doug Karcher, University of Arkansas –http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/turf/Turflinks/http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/turf/Turflinks/ –Turfgrass Links -- Guelph Turfgrass Institute http://www.uoguelph.ca/GTI.linkfram.htmTurfgrass Links -- Guelph Turfgrass Institute http://www.uoguelph.ca/GTI.linkfram.htm –Turfgrass AgNIC -- Penn State University Libraries http://www.libraries.psu.edu/turfgrass/Turfgrass AgNIC -- Penn State University Libraries http://www.libraries.psu.edu/turfgrass/

10. Search Engines  Use a ‘fill-in-the-blank’ approach  Like a very sophisticated index they point to content elsewhere  Many web-wide engines, new ones will continue to be introduced -- Lycos, HotBot, MSN Search, etc.  Most popular (market share about 43%) now is Google http://www.google.com http://www.google.com

12. Turfgrass Information File  First records entered into the database in August of 1984  Now approaching 100,000 records in size.  Each record represents a separate “item” -- article, thesis, book chapter, webpage, video clip, blueprint, etc.  In 1988, direct dial-up access using direct computer-to- computer connection via phone lines became available, although tricky, slow & frustrating  Through the mid-1990s, though TGIF continued to grow and connections got faster & better, online use was still problematic…

13. …then along came the Web, and that changed everything! What can the Web, do for you, and when is it better, perhaps, to use TGIF ???…

14. When is the Web stronger than TGIF?  For commercial & product content – prices, descriptive features, tech specs., from the producers  For contact information of any kind –While Author affiliation information is included in most TGIF records, it is linked to the date of ‘publication’ of the material –For finding places, people, etc, stick to the big engines or local/specialized aids  For non-turf information  For interactive or volatile content of any kind –Weather information, job listings, equipment sales, news, interactive chat or bulletin board-like activity

15. When is TGIF stronger than the Web?… The more ‘turfish’ the issue, the more agronomic, the more content TGIF will identify. Why?

16. Because…  Content -- Electronic only? –“On the internet, you never know what you’re missing” (James O’Donnell, in Avatars of the Word: From Papyrus to Cyberspace, 1998)  Indexing vocabulary  Currency  Depth

17. So why should and how can you use TGIF?…

19. For…  Getting up to speed quickly  Validation and documentation  Seeing the big picture

20. Tricks, Tips & Some New Stuff…

21. Optimize Your Searching  Get precise: 2-6 words Get precise: 2-6 words

22. Sample precise searches  Ultradwarf bermudagrass  Zero turn radius mowers  Fungicides dollar spot  Soil pore structure greens Soil pore structure greens

23. Optimize Your Searching  Truncate (wildcards) Truncate (wildcards)  Get precise: 2-6 words Get precise: 2-6 words  Try different words  Change the order of the words

24. Learn to really use an engine – they can be quirky  “Advanced search” in Google  “Power Search” in TGIF

25. Amazon’s new “Full-text” book search

28. Full-text browsing  USGA Green Section Record USGA Green Section Record

30. Full-text browsing  USGA Green Section Record USGA Green Section Record  USGA TERO USGA TERO

32. Full-text browsing  USGA Green Section Record USGA Green Section Record  USGA TERO USGA TERO  ASGCA Architect’s Gallery ASGCA Architect’s Gallery

34. Caveats……….  The Web is young and growing!  Neither the Web nor TGIF are “Expert systems”

35. It’s still all about:  The Credibility of the source Always has been; always will be!  The Currency of the information  The Applicability to your situation

37. Special Thanks to : Please Visit us at : http://www.tic.msu.edu/ http://www.tic.msu.edu/  The USGA Turfgrass Research Program  Other supporters of the TIC Endowment Campaign, and  Subscribers to the Center and Database.