******************The Internet Search-Off************
WHAT: Dow Jones and Knight-Ridder Information have challenged the
internet search engines to a show down. The Internet Challenge, a
contest sponsored by Information Today, Inc., Dow Jones and
Knight-Ridder Information will compare search results from these
traditional online services now on the World Wide Web with search
results from the Web search engines. Information professionals should
register at the Information Today web site for the contest first
(http://www.infotoday.com/search-off) where contest rules and the
search log are posted. Use a real--not a made-up-- question, run a
search for it on either kri/dialog or the dow jones publications
library and then pose the same question on at least one, and up to
three, online net search engines. The Challenge requires participants
to use "real" questions-something that they have been asked or need to
know. Searchers should submit logs of questions and results to Sue
Feldman, an independent information professional specializing in
Internet and search engine effectiveness.
WHY: The purpose of the contest is to compare how well traditional
online services perform versus Web search engines. We will gather real
data about the effectiveness and cost of web searching vs. Traditional
online searching. No search engine is being evaluated. Rather, we are
interested in finding out what kinds of information can be found in
each place, and what the pros and cons are for searching on each
service. We will keep track of time spent, expenses, and value of
information found to the end user.
WHERE: to enter, use any www browser to connect to the Information
Today website at www.infotoday.com. Read the instructions and download
the search log form. WHEN: The contest runs now through September 30,
1997. The results will be evaluated and presented by Sue Feldman at the
Internet Librarian Conference in Monterey, CA. Nov. 17-21.
HOW: The first 200 information professionals to enter this contest will
receive 45 minutes of free time on the Dow Jones Publications Library
or Knight-Ridder/Dialog. Information professionals should mail
printouts of completed search results and their search log form by
October 1, 1997 to Sue Feldman at Datasearch, 170 Lexington Dr.,
Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. Required information includes the online system
searched; Web search engine(s) used; time taken for the search on each
service; costs; and the search results, with each of the first 30 hits
scored on a scale of 1 (WORST) to 5 (BEST). Questions can be directed
to Sue Feldman at sef2@cornell.edu.
Sue Feldman
Datasearch
170 Lexington Dr.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-257-0937 Phone/Fax
sef2@cornell.edu
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