Module Two Blog

You used an electronic index, a guideline index, and a web search engine to retrieve information relevant to your clinical problem. Compare and contrast your results. Which resources were useful/ not useful for your information retrieval task, and why? Identify some alternative strategies for retrieving relevant information - would context relevant information retrieval be useful? (You must be detailed enough here, so that your blog entry evidences your use of both NGC and Google).

I found all three resources to be beneficial, and all have their own purpose and function. I was most familiar with the electronic index, Pubmed due to my exposure to the process during most of my academic career. The only real downside to this type of search is that it requires the user to input search criteria that will yield particular results. This could be a problem if I wanted to search for a general idea or topic. The Google search engine is very simple, and familiar.
In the past I have strayed away from Google because of the fact that there is so much information contained in a Google search, and much of the information on Google Scholar requires you to purchase the articles that are retrieved. It is also sometimes difficult to establish credibility when faced with so many results. This problem can be remedied when using Google, if the user takes advantage of the optional or advanced searching techniques.

I found the NGC to be the least helpful resource for retrieving information. If I had specifically defined search criteria, it would be something that I might utilize. Mainly, I did not like the aesthetics or functionality of the database. I can see how the NGC would be beneficial to providers who are interested in practice guidelines and findings. One positive aspect of the NGC site is that you can compare resources. Furthermore, the NGC provides resources that are nationally recognized and credible which is something that other databases require the user to sift through and evaluate.

Another useful skill I learned during this module, was utilizing search engines as a means of developing ideas. For me, the most difficult part of educating myself about a subject of interest, is defining that subject. Starting out with broad search terms in a search engine will produce results which may contain more specific subject matter that would be of interest. Also, many programs allow the user to search for similar or related topics, headings, words, or subjects. This ultimately results in producing more information that is specific and focused.

Context relevant retrieval simplifies the process of information retrieval by allowing the user to associate search terms and develop proper search criteria. Because search results are a product of what the user inputs as a search term, knowing how to search is an invaluable skill. Formulating questions in the proper fashion is essential to obtaining correct information.