Whose Short Cut Is It, Anyway?

by Judith Maginnis Kuster - Minnesota State University, Mankato (judith.kuster@mnsu.edu).

Use of the Internet for research has become so popular that it’s time we assess the implications of how we use it–and time to discuss a little "Netiquette."

Everyone looks for short cuts when working on a task, but your own short cut should not mean extra work for someone else. The danger of reliance on the Internet without instruction is that it can produce a whole generation of people who depend on others to do their information seeking for them.

It is inappropriate to send personal email to busy professors and researchers or to post questions on mailing lists without first doing your own basic research, which includes using the library and professional books and journals. Lou Heite provides valuable suggestions in her "Posting Questions on Discussion Forums"

The Internet is a valuable information resource but there are strategies one needs for using it efficiently and effectively. All of the major search engines have "help files" for learning how to optimize their use. Some of my current personal favorites may be search engines you haven't tried before. Check them out:

• http://www.ixquick.com and http://www.metacrawler.com — are both metasearch engines that check several search engines at once. Ixquick lists those sites that are ranked highest in a wide variety of search engines. Metacrawler has several nice features including a full-text search option.

• http://www.google.com and http://www.directhit.com —both claim to list those sites first that are accessed by the most people or linked to most often. This assumes people will access or link to the best sites first, but both provide a way to find popular sites.

• http://northernlights.com and http://alltheweb.com (fast) are automated, full-text search engines. Northernlights is said to be a good search engine for "academic" research, and includes a fee-based, full-text journal article feature. Alltheweb claims to have the largest database of Internet sites and may be the best search engine for finding "obscure" information.

Learning to use these and other search strategies on the Internet is worth the effort. Use these tools as the first step in your research.

This is the appropriate approach. To illustrate the inappropriate approach, I’m appending some examples below of what not to do. These–with identifying information removed–are a few examples of the hundreds of emails I receive. Please use these examples to discuss strategies to pose appropriate questions or to practice finding some of the answers using the search tools suggested above.

• Would you please forward as much biographical information on Margaret Lahey as possible.

• I was just wondering if you might be able to direct me to resources about the different learning styles. I am writing a thesis on the subject and searching the Internet is fun but as you know time consuming.

• I am currently enrolled in a college course (exceptional child) and I would like any info. that you could offer on communication disorders.

• Do you know of any resources that would help me write a treatment program? [It] needs to include: observation techniques, evaluation methods, target behaviors, data collection and record keeping methods, and behavioral techniques.

• I am doing a paper for a class. . . . . Topic: Should children be taught to speak the English language and be taught to sign the words at the same time–eliminating communication barriers and promoting the English language. I need about 3 minutes of information. If possible try to send me something by 8 pm tonight.

For additional insight into this "global" problem, check the recent article of our Australian colleague, Caroline Bowen "Is That A Fair Question?"

Judith Kuster is in the department of communication disorders at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Contact her by email at judith.kuster@mnsu.edu.