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I would like to start with I am so sorry that I am more work I'm sure than your other students. While I understand this is an important skill to have, I am struggling and I'm not sure if I have mastered anything as of yet. One thing I could is I finally understand facets, truncation, and how to properly use parentheses and Boolean operators. I really enjoy all of the voices of search and learn from each of them a great deal. I have learned many different things this semester and I look forward to becoming a better searcher. Activity 6 was really interesting even though I do not believe I attached the resources you were looking for after meeting with you at your office hours. However, creating my own search engine was great. I look forward to the remainder of the semester and again thank you so very much for your patience.

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I think my greatest area of growth and new learning was in the area of the use of controlled vocabulary versus natural language. I almost exclusively used natural language searching and now I am much more confident in considering which form of search makes the most sense.

I have also really enjoyed the Voices of Search episodes that we have watched. In particular MJ Bates and Amy Affelt because they both highlighted an area of librarianship as information professionals that hasn’t been a focus for me before this. Those talks helped clarify for me the importance of reference interviews so that you go beyond the surface to get to the heart of what the client (or patron) needs.

My next big “aha” was all the additional functionality of Google searches. I knew about Google Image search, but the search fields and advanced search features were not ones that were familiar to me.
Finally, I really enjoyed creating a Google Custom Search English - I can envision so many possibilities for that!

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Andy D'Amato Mid-Semester Reflection: 530:90

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Andy D'Amato Mid-Semester Reflection: 530:90

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I really feel that I have learned a great deal more about search than I had learned before. When I started this class, I had not really known about the intricacies of search and how impressive the world of search is. The tools that one can learn about and use, such as Boolean operators, Custom Search Engines, and so many more are truly quite impressive. I had used some search tools from this course before, but I really hadn't put the pieces together, so to speak, until I started taking this class. There is so much I have learned, and still so much to still examine. The biggest takeaway for me, though, was the sessions spent regarding Google. It really helped me to understand just how bigger search engines work, especially in comparison to that of databases. It is something I will have to keep in mind as time passes on. The skills I have learned in this class will also have to be remembered. There is still so much more to learn, and  cannot wait to see what else lies in store for this class.

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Danielle Lewis 530:91 Mid-Semester Reflection

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Danielle Lewis 530:91 Mid-Semester Reflection

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Throughout this class, I have appreciated how its incremental design is helping me accumulate vast amounts of knowledge week by week.  Looking back to January is dizzying!  I feel that I have a lot floating through my head but need to rehearse it.  Some concepts and skills are gelling; others are still wobbly.  Building my CSE for time travel movies would have been impossibly overwhelming if not for my growing Google toolbox. I have a greater appreciation for Google’s superpowers, yet also a deeper understanding of its pitfalls and constraints. The dark Web is now a tool, not a threat.  This is making my searches much more nimble and focused.

My perceptions of the information environment are also evolving.  I am seeing familiar resources in new ways, uncovering unexpected aspects of their powers.  Voices of Search increases my information horizon through the human faces and voices exploring professional possibilities and common themes. I try to listen to as many as I can.  Then I feel, as I do so often, that the more I learn the more I realize the less I know!

The accumulation of information vocabularies has also been invaluable.  Like many of my fellow students, my understanding and proficiency increased exponentially, and I’m just getting started.  Controlled vocabularies and truncation in particular are two database search tools which I have already shared with students, and the opportunity to apply my learning both in class and on the ground is thrilling.  “Finesse” is my goal, and I love languages so I hope to reach fluency in these new ones.

This semester, my respect for algorithms has increased, as has my concern about them.  The application of search is a critical part of this course for me: not just how we find information but how, where and why we use it.  Librarians cannot be neutral although we can try to be fair.  Serving our patrons means being their advocates.

Thus far, the entire course has been ongoing concept fusion.  As readings, discussions and activities build upon one another, I keep thinking about Brenda Dervin’s descriptions of how we sense make and unmake as we seek information and construct new understandings. This “we” centers on the people whose lives librarians touch.  For me, one level of this semester is the argument for how patrons deserve our knowledge, generosity, creativity and open-minded empathy.  After all, our job is to help them create their own information landscapes.

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Debbie Fulmer Mid-Semester Reflection 530:90

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Debbie Fulmer Mid-Semester Reflection 530:90

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I feel like I've learned a lot more about the breadth of the search world - from controlled vocabularies in subscription databases to the much greater assortment of products offered by Google than I'd previously been aware of - not to mention the ways of limiting Google searches that I had never heard of before!
However, I also had a bit of a slap in the face just this weekend, that I still need to improve the flexibility of my thinking when it comes to ways of searching.  A family friend reported to my SIL that Disney+ was "blocking" Aristocats as part of their improved cultural awareness. I searched "Disney Aristocats" to find confirmation of this (including searching a Florida news station with a Disney-focused section), but found nothing, leading me to wonder if it was, in fact, true. My BIL found it in moments by searching "Disney movie ban". (For the record, they're only limiting it to children's accounts, not completely.) But the experience made me aware of how much better I still need to get, given that I've now had 8 weeks of learning but was quickly outstripped by a family member.
This was the class I was really looking forward to this semester, as it is incredibly useful to be able to find things on the internet, especially challenging things, but I'm also aware of how long it's truly going to take to get to a place where I feel I can be an expert, and not merely "slightly better than I was before"!

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We have learned so much this semester, it's difficult to choose only a few takeaways. I'll try to keep my thoughts organized and succinct.

The first takeaway is that as information professionals, we have so many more tools at our disposal than we realize. We have subscription databases, but we also have Google tools, web directories, and even blogs from other librarians. However, it's a matter of finding these tools, learning how to use them to the best of their ability, organizing them for future usage, and sharing them with others.

The second takeaway I have this semester is that we must be dynamic and savvy searchers. We must understand what we're searching for, why we need it, and what the information will be used for. Searching requires planning, actual searching, and dynamic decisions based on the success or failure of strategies and the information we find. Like most of my classmates, I wish that I had taken this course earlier in the program--as I learn from our modules and assignments, I find myself immediately using the new information and strategies in my everyday life.

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Lesley Louder Mid-Semester Reflection of 530

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Lesley Louder Mid-Semester Reflection of 530

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I am unsure of where to begin so let’s start at the very beginning! In weeks one and two I grew, as I had hoped to, to understanding the world of search. I had always dabbled in it but I only then realized it was very minimal and that I still had much to learn in order to help others with confidence that I was truly helping. I keep a journal of important terminology and my page of search terms was just covered with terms and lines and connections among the concept of completing but then adjusting a search. Fields, wildcards, truncating, and Boolean terms were the focus of this new page of knowledge and my understanding of them has certainly grown. I am still struggling and becoming comfortable with controlled vocabulary and thesauri, but with more time and practice I am sure my confidence will grow! If I were to find a position in a secondary setting, I feel much more confident in assisting students with more detailed searches both within the available databases and now with Google as well. These last few weeks have also been eye opening. Without access to a library or availability of databases in my current position, application of Google searches were truly our only option at the time. Google is the primary go-to for the majority of the population and being able to share strategies, the advanced search specifically, with students was helpful in the application and practice of using it properly. I was most affected by the bias Google’s algorithm produces for search and was able to have that conversation with my students emphasizing the need to not just review the first source at hand, but to run it through a series of questions regarding relevance and credibility. I am excited to continue to grow and learn!

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Concerning the thresholds, I'm not sure if I'll ever consider myself to be a master of any of them. Each time I think I may have a handle on one of them, like the "total information environment," something else happens to show me that I had no idea what was missing. For example, the Google News Tools and grey literature, searching the dark web (which isn't the evil darkness portrayed in Ralph Breaks the Internet), chaining twitter hashtags, not to mention the huge influence and affect of algorithms shaking everything up.

From controlled vocabularies to folksonomy, algorithms to command line search, there's just such a giant realm of nuances and contexts that retrieval of anything is borderline miraculous at this point. Just like literature review writers are the MVPs of multidisciplinary research, I think libguide creators are the MVPs of the search world, especially those that provide that initial context so necessary before a dive into any subject.

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This class really wasn't what I thought it was going to be.  There is so much more to searching and databases than I initially thought - so I am really happy that I am taking this class.  The types of searching, the sources to search in and the variety of search methods seem almost endless. The databases themselves have a variety of user-interfaces that are unique and allow different types of searches.

Also, some of the information (like filter bubbles, and bias in libraries and algorithms) are things that I feel I sort of knew, but not to the extent of what I have learned in this class.

I have also really enjoyed preparing for the final project.  All of these other search activities and the creating of explainers and a customized search engine has been an awesome experience.

I have enjoyed the search activities and can't wait to learn more as time goes on.

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Yuewen Fu 530:91 Mid-Semester Reflection

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Yuewen Fu 530:91 Mid-Semester Reflection

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I am taking three search-relevant courses this term (510 HIB, 530 this one and 535 Competitive Intelligence) which makes my learning journey as intriguing and fun as initially expected. This course in overall offered me a lot of hands-on practice opportunities based on my actual information needs to reform my search strategies and refine my search skills, which includes but not limited to, the use of logic grids, the use of command line search, explorations of databases and resources, etc. The counterpart course, 510 HIB, in turn offers me reflections to conceptualize my search journeys and recognize those bridge-building needs and scenarios refrained by my personal affections or search capabilities.

Other than search tactics, it is as well appreciative that this course has broaden
my horizon about the notion of search, particularly the hidden gems of the search landscape in terms of the dark web and deep web. I was not aware of the fact that, innumerable non-indexed pages constitute a larger part of the deep web yet have however been overlooked and not crawled by search engines due to their relatively low importance or relevance as assumed by the search engines. This notion has played a revolutionary role to reshape my search strategies in some of my daily and academic search activities now.

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I have never been a big searcher so this course has helped me learn a lot throughout the first half of the semester. While I have been familiar with the information environment and the information structures, information vocabularies were new to me and learning how to use these in conjunction to other search strategies like the Boolean advanced search has really improved my research skills and I hope to continue to learn more as the semester continues.

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I definitely came into this semester thinking that I was a master searcher because I am a pro-Googler, but there is way more to search than just being able to quickly find things on Google. The sections on vocabularies was particularly eye opening to me, especially the thesaurus. I definitely think I need to continue to practice using those database search tools for the remainder of the semester as well as in future classes instead of just relying on Google for every little thing.

The topics on Google and biases are especially important especially when working with the public and/or students. Being able to take that knowledge and help others be aware of biases in search and how to navigate around them is so important.

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I have really enjoyed the first half of this class! I think my biggest takeaway so far is that Google is much more incredibly useful than I initially thought, and I realized I was using it all wrong! I am really impressed with all that Google can do for us; Dan Russell's MOOC really played a huge role in this. While Google is not necessarily the first search tool I would recommend in all instances, I would recommend it for some basic searches and for things that can complement what databases offer. I also am finding myself more comfortable with search techniques in general, such as when and how to use Boolean operators, and my comfort with databases has expanded as well. I have to say that the most fascinating topic thus far in this course has been the dark web; I have been reading up on more of it in my free time (Silk Road in particular) and it has been incredibly intriguing! I cannot wait to see what the second half of the course entails and how my search techniques will continue to grow and improve.

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The section of information vocabularies was a section that really helped me understand the Boolean advanced search process and how to make it work for me in searches by using truncations and other tools. Having these tools in my search allows for a smoother transition between basic search and advanced search.

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Christine Park - Mid-Semester Reflection

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Christine Park - Mid-Semester Reflection

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It's hard to believe that it's already the middle of the semester, but at the same time, I feel that I learned a lot about the information landscape. I went into this class, not realizing how much of the landscape I had no idea existed. Although I knew search strategies for the specific databases that I was already familiar with, I didn't much about the other databases or sources of information. My biggest takeaways right now is that there are so many resources available, and that there are current and on-going efforts to document what's available on the Internet, like the Wayback Machine and the Directory of the Web. I also never knew that there were more to Google search than the simple keyword search engine on the main page. I didn't know how to do the advanced search, or how to create a custom google search engine. It's been great to learn about the different tools that are available also, like Smore, Wakelet, or Padlet. I plan to use these tools, hopefully, later on in my career as well.

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A lot of people are saying this, but I agree that I wish that I had taken this course in the first half of the MI program rather than towards the end. The search skills and the awareness of resources built in this class would have made other courses easier.

I think the biggest breakthrough moments in this class have been tools and techniques we have learned (mostly Tucker concept 3). This course forces you to learn new techniques each week and to move nimbly through a wide range of different tools, and you don’t have time to sulk about having to adapt to a new platform; you just do it. (This has also sort of been the story of the past year.) At the same time, each week we learn different specific techniques for search, whether concrete things like truncation or broader concepts like pearl growing, and develop a mental library of tactics and techniques. Sometimes you are learning to describe a behavior that you had been using all along, and other times the behavior is new. I didn’t really understand how to find or use controlled vocabularies prior to this course, so that tool has been a big one for me.

The other thing I am really enjoying is Voices of Search. Those conversations humanize the search process, teach us about new professions and at the same time allow for expressions of ambiguity and doubt. I think the Mary Ellen Bates conversation did this best. These are things that you lose in an online course, regardless of the activity level on the discussion boards, so the Voices of Search have been a great way to inject some humanity into the course.

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My biggest aha this semester is that I should've taken this course before taking Human Information Behavior. I thought I knew how to do search databases for scholarly work before that course but I didn't. The information in this course would've helped me tremendously in doing my Literature Review source gathering. A second big aha is all that Google has to offer. I had only used Google as a search engine before this class. However, it also has Google Book, Google Scholar, Google Earth, and many other kids of databases full of information. It opened up a whole new world for me. A third aha, which probably isn't a positive, is how overwhelmed I get with all the information resources there are out there. As a prospective librarian, that may not be a good thing. However, hearing how others are getting overwhelmed with the amount of information overload in this course, helps me feel like we are all in the same boat.

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My biggest aha in this course has been how different my experience at Rutgers would have been if I had taken this course earlier. The level of engagement in the course is very high and the resources, lectures, activities are so relevant to my everyday library work. I think it would have been a great start if I had started off with 530. I do think I'm struggling a bit keeping up, however. Part of that is due to my workload at work and this semester but part of that is I am a slow reader and because the material is so interesting I try to read it all. I do think I have to work on focusing on the major readings and scanning others. What stands out for me are the hands on activities which really reinforce the search concepts we are tackling. A major AHA for me was learning how boolean operators work and the collection of advanced search tools we've learned throughout. Also, I'm really enjoying creating my libguide for Assignment 2.

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I believe in this course the biggest aha I have had is that I am a little over my head with this information. I do not have the background experience or the options right now to gain any first hand that I am feeling very overwhelmed. I am struggling to keep up with assignments so I feel as if I am rushing through them and not getting everything out of them that I need to be. I do believe I am gaining a lot of useful information in terms of search, especially when it comes to databases, however, I am too nervous to use that information to its full extent.

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Lauren Costantini - Mid-Semester Reflection

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Lauren Costantini - Mid-Semester Reflection

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Knowledge of a wider range of available resources both in researching and in creating searchable material are my current biggest learning takeaways as I now feel better equipped for helping patrons in a library environment. The projects and what I've learned from them so far: using Screencast to record Project 1's walkthrough, getting to explore ProQuest and learning how its database functions, using Adobe Premiere and Audacity to edit everything together, and learning about other indexes and databases through other students' projects in the Gallery Walk. So far with Project 2: learning that Google Custom Search existed and how to make one, learning what LibGuides were and how to use and create them. Embedding into a LibGuide: twitter feeds, images, countdown clocks, links, Flickr feeds, weather forecasts, interactive 3D models, animated gifs, RSS Feeds, and YouTube videos. I've customized the color scheme and layout for my LibGuide. I have an increased awareness of what Google does and does not locate in its searches and how when one is searching for academic content that using the Deep Web or using methods other than Google improves your chances of finding what you're looking for. Weekly Search News encouraged me to regularly check up on related search news that may be happening outside of the topics we're covering any given week. Pearl Trees and shared Google Documents are good digital versions of what would in person be sharing our thoughts and presenting our findings in a physical classroom. I've learned how to use Hoopla to find and borrow material from my local library, purchased a textbook through Kindle and learned how to take notes, make highlights, and bookmark throughout that ebook. I have a better idea of how controlled vocabulary vs searching full text each have advantages and disadvantages--controlled vocabulary I think works better if you already are familiar with the verbiage of the topic, but some indexes/databases also supply their on dictionaries (like EBSCO) or thesauri. Proximity and truncation are good for shortening the number of searches and the amount of time you need to spend, but not all databases have them. I actually ended up using truncation that I learned in 530 for an assignment in 520 (we were coming up with a list of keywords to search a specific set of articles with). I enjoy the Voices of Search series as there's so much more information that gets exchanged through video/audio. I've gotten answers to questions I've had concerning assignments in the optional weekly Zoom; I hope more of my courses will also have that as I feel they've improved my experiences (so far of the 6 courses I've taken, this course and 550 have had weekly optional zoom meetings; I wish 520 did (they along with 510 had an introductory zoom at the start of the course).

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This semester so far has given me a lot of chances to grow and learn, both from the materials and from my classmates as well. I entered this course feeling confident and cocky - I had been searching the internet for almost as long as I can remember and I felt confident that this class would be a breeze for me to complete. While this class has been enjoyable, it's been enjoyable for the opposite reason I thought it would be - because I've been learning so much! I'm having trouble identifying a limited number of AHA moments, because there have been so many over the course of this semester. Briefly, here is a quick list of some (but not all) of the biggest AHAs!

1. Boolean phrasing! Boolean phrasing CHANGED my academic searching for the better. During that week's module, I found myself wondering how I had survived undergraduate courses without it.

2. Utilizing a controlled vocabulary while searching. I previously had found controlled vocabularies to be clunky to use and hadn't considered their reasons for existing. After learning more about them, I feel like I could practically use controlled vocabularies while searching and better understand their purposes.

3. The limitations of Google. As someone who grew up using Google, I considered it to be the end-all-be-all of search before taking this course. If I couldn't find something through Google, then I considered it to be unimportant and outside my interests. Especially after the past two weeks' modules, I feel like I better understand when Google is the tool to use and when to turn to a different search tool.

Overall, this course has been a changing experience for me and I can't wait to see what I learn in the second half!

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So far in this course I feel like I've had so many aha moments that it's difficult to even consider what the most important take aways are. This is definitely one of the best classes I've taken in the program and certainly the one that has helped me feel the most prepared to work as an info professional. It's been very valuable to have practice with different databases and other online search tools. I had a good understanding of how controlled vocabularies work, but wasn't as familiar with truncation and proximity searches. Becoming more comfortable with what different databases have to offer was super helpful to me and I'd have to say a big anxiety I had before this class was actually something we went over pretty early on: how to choose which database or tool is best for your search.

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Even before encountering the iceberg imagery we used this week to describe the Surface Web, Deep Web, and Dark Web, I was thinking of this entire course as a deep pool or lake.  Up to now, I’ve only been skimming the surface of knowledge about databases and search engines. Whenever I would swim out to the “raft” to grab what I needed, I’d always come back quickly.  But I feel that in this course, I’ve taken a deep dive and spent a lot of time along the bottom, finding all the roots that help me better understand what’s on top.

Specifically, learning about the vast array of specific databases, how to read their About pages, and how to assess their individual scopes, will make me a much better librarian who is able to guide patrons toward the information they need.

Discovering and unlocking Google’s many tools have saved time and increased precision. The programmable search engine and Advanced Search are just two Google tools that I have shared more than once.

Although this is my final course in the MI program, I hadn’t yet encountered LibGuides in any sort of depth, and I think they are an amazing resource. I am so glad to not have missed this class before getting my degree. It will make me a better searcher, a better librarian, a better amateur genealogist, even a more knowledgeable citizen.

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Halfway through the semester, and I have learned so much about search…. I am starting to understand the scope of the information environment, and at the same time am feeling a little overwhelmed by the vast array of resources. It feels like the more you look, the more you will find new resources to explore. I definitely have gained a much better understanding of index structures, and I enjoyed learning about controlled vocabulary, which seemed like a secret key to finding relevant results in the indexed databases. Although I don’t truly understand algorithms, I have an increased understanding of what they can do, and why we need to keep a critical eye towards them, with their inherent bias.

I have gained so much more fluency in search- both the tools used and the language used to describe the process. It has been so instructive and inspiring to learn from the search experts through the “voices of search” series.  I keep going back to Mary Ellen Bates’ joy in the search process, and “the first search is for you” as I explore new topics and sometimes need to take a circuitous route to find what I need. I have learned to be more persistent in search, and to take time to think about search terms and pull from a new toolkit of search techniques when there is a tricky question. It’s been helpful to learn the google search tips, too- which as a classmate mentioned provides an opportunity to share new skills with friends.
I have also been learning so many new online tools this semester -from Wakelet to Padlet to Pearltrees, and on!

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Halfway through this semester and I have to say this is definitely one of the best classes I have had in this program (and there are many amazing ones!). I cannot believe we are up to our mid-semester reflections already as this semester is flying by, but it is nice to truly take this time to reflect on all of the concepts we’ve learned so far. I knew coming into this class that I had a lot to learn about search. My experience was limited to research for personal use and class assignments through the years. I was limited in what databases I used because I did not know how to branch out from there. I knew there had to be more efficient methods and untapped resources with search strategies and I was right!

One aspect I’ve really enjoyed is the Voice of Search videos. It’s really great getting all of these perspectives and seeing search and information professionals talk about their roles. Search is everywhere and part of me did wonder if some aspects of this work would be obsolete with how accessible certain areas are. I see that it is actually more important than ever, especially as we look at misinformation and disinformation, information literacy and how most people (such as myself before this class to a large degree) are unaware of nuances of search and advanced searching, as well as the ability to utilize controlled vocabulary.

In terms of thresholds, I think we are always crossing them to some degree, but from our modules we are definitely working through integration of concepts and building upon our information environments, structures and vocabularies. I think a real positive to this class is seeing how many resources there are. Sometimes this makes me feel a bit behind where some classmates were already aware of those resources, but the class libguide makes me feel like I can always refer back to many of the materials for my own use as I move forward in this field. The fact that we are creating our own lib guides and working through concepts in a structured and practical application through search activities is such a wonderful way to apply concepts. I am still working through vocabularies and command line searching, I feel more confident but still feel like sometimes my searches are not as comprehensive or efficient as they could be. Sometimes I struggle with deciding when and where to utilize truncation, proximity and keywords for certain searches. I guess that just goes to show you that there’s always areas to improve and practice. With more use, we can build upon the foundation. I think it also speaks to the inherent trial and error work behind search and how the journey can be as fruitful as the end result.

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It's funny how you think you know a lot about a topic just because you've been exposed to it for much of your life. We've all, no doubt, been performing searches on the Internet for a long time now. However, little did I know, I am a novice at best when it comes to actually searching! I have absolutely loved the search activities we've done for a lot of the weeks, as they're a great way for us to get real world experience through trial and error. My biggest aha in this regard was the concept of facets and knowing which terms work best for the various databases. Comparing the different databases also gave me a much more in-depth, hands-on feel for the way two databases can look quite similar but operate in much different ways, depending on the indexing and other various factors. Another huge takeaway for me was the use of thesauri in databases. What a helpful tip to know about! It really helped expand a lot of my searches, knowing that there were related terms for which I could search. I honestly can't speak enough to the value of this class and its content, and it's been an extremely enjoyable educational experience!

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Over the past few weeks I’ve learned a lot in this course. I definitely think I’ve developed a better understanding of the information environment. I had previously limited myself to the library catalog and a few databases, but I’ve learned so much about how databases work and the value of using different ones for different tasks. I also have a much better appreciation for how Google can be used for academic work, and for the way we can find information from non-traditional sources. I also significantly underestimated how useful web directories can be before this week.

I’ve also learned a lot about search strategies. This was never something that I thought about, but I can see now how people employ different strategies – sometimes unconsciously – to find information. This also includes things like wildcards and truncation, which I had never tried to use before in searching. There is a lot more to searching than I ever realized, and it has left me looking forward to being able to put these skills to use.

I think the search activities have been particularly useful in helping me reach these understandings. I like the way that they break a task down into several smaller parts. You may not consciously go through all these steps when you’re doing a search normally, but it is helpful to be able to step back and analyze the different pieces of what you’re doing and how they come together.

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I can’t believe that we are halfway already! This semester seems to be really flying by. Before this class, I knew that searching was one of the things that I really needed to work on because I knew that I wasn’t the greatest searcher; especially since I was on the reference desk. My interactions with the information environment around me were basically centered around, “Ok I know Google and I know how to use some of these databases.” It always frustrated me that there were certain searching strategies or websites that I didn’t know about. Even though we’re only halfway, I feel like there were a lot of ways I was able to improve my searching abilities.

One of the biggest takeaways was breaking down search strategy and looking into different ways to search. The VOS on the EBSCO Explora made me realize how I was unfortunately using the same search strategy, similar to high school students were considered ‘loopers.’ Watching not only helped, but so did actually trying out these strategies. I have to admit I was daunted by the idea of the Search Activities but they were very eye opening. I also think that examining the multitude of tools that Google offers and understanding how they work was extremely helpful, especially considering the fact that I was a very surface level user of those tools and I feel I have now expanded my knowledge about these tools to use them more effectively.

Another takeaway was going into depth about databases. Assignment 1, Database of the Week, and the search activities have really helped with understanding databases. I really enjoy the Voices of Search because it not only explores different areas such as database instruction and Google but different career paths as well: Mary Ellen Bates' information services, being a reference librarian, designing databases, etc. Contrary to the widespread belief that librarianship is a dying career, there is so much to do with our field!

As for thresholds I am still crossing, I do still get a little confused by vocabularies and command line searching was a little bit tough but I am hoping to get more clarity following the rest of the semester.

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I have definitely learned a lot so far. I feel as though I had the beginnings of a lot of the search tips and tricks that we are using and that this class has improved and honed these skills. It has also helped me to understand more of the reasoning behind everything, giving me a deeper understanding. I really like the Voices of Search videos. It has been really interesting to hear straight from the mouths of people in these various professions with different expertise. It gives everything a more real-world element that helps to put everything in perspective. I also feel that the search activities are a great way for us to get hands-on practical experience that also gives us new perspectives. I feel that I’ve crossed the first two thresholds and am working on the third. Vocabularies are also tough for me. I may be able to understand a concept, but speaking about it can take me longer. I do think I’m getting there though!

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This semester, and this class in particular, has been a revelation in many ways. So many times, I’ve found myself having a realization like “oh, that’s what that is!” or “now I understand how to do that” - like with the search strategies and features of search we learned about and worked through, there were many instances where I’d known of something vaguely or in concept, but this class offered great amounts of clarity, practice with search, in-depth understanding, and provide names to put to those concepts. It has felt like having half a puzzle done and finally adding in the rest of the pieces (or at least some of the pieces, I’ve definitely got a lot to learn still!).

I’ve really enjoyed our Voices of Search, as they provide us (especially someone like me with no real experience in the field as of yet), the opportunity to hear from professionals who have been in many different sectors of information careers and have a vast amount of experiences. Similarly, our search activities have really encouraged me to think hard about why I choose specific methods when it comes to information search, and how I can refine those methods and incorporate new ones I’m learning to fit each specific inquiry. Search doesn’t have to be over in an instant, where you enter a few keywords and get your results. You should dig into different sites, use field codes, truncation, proximity searches, and Boolean operators, and explore with different keywords or facets. See what’s out there, and continue to adjust and seek new ways of looking at things. I’ve really learned through our search activities that there’s so much more to the concept of search than meets the eye, they’ve been very enjoyable.

Tucker’s threshold concepts got me thinking about my own experiences and thought process: the two that stand out most to me are information vocabularies and concept fusion. As I mentioned, there were so many times this semester thus far where I’ve recognized an idea or concept, but did not have the proper vocabulary to discuss or explain it - now I feel much more confident in that respect. Concept fusion, the integration of information vocabularies, environment, and structures, has also been relevant to me as I've come to better understand how different aspects of search work off of each other (understanding the search environment to gather insight into search content, algorithms, and index structures, for instance). It's been a very eye-opening, informative process, and I have no doubt it will continue to be for the rest of the semester!

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I’m not sure where I want to begin with this reflection!  To date, I’ve learned more about searching than I ever thought possible!  Some of my favorite search strategies have been the Boolean operators and truncation.  Looking into the thesaurasi that is provided by the database we’re searching is a great way to ensure the terms we’re thinking of using will provide fruitful results.  Proximity searching and command line searching are two things that I’m still having a hard time navigating.  I had no idea that there was such diversity in how we can search Google.  I really enjoyed doing the Google search challenges and I never thought that I would be able to say that I had fun playing around and searching in different ways.  Something else that I really enjoyed was from this week and that was learning about the dark web and the deep web.  The deep web was a space that I didn’t know existed and I wasn’t even aware of grey literature.  The majority of the Voices of Search that we watched were ones that I found to be beneficial.  I really liked how Mary Ellen Bates pointed out that searching was something that something we should never feel satisfied with and this was a thought that did carry through in a few of the other VoS that we were asked to watch.  So far I’m really happy about what we’ve covered and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester holds!
- Jillian B.

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I have honestly never learned so much in a class before. I feel like what we are learning is SO important. There is so much information around us and we are learning tools that will help us locate exactly what we need to find. I have crossed several thresholds. First, I think like an indexer. I look at something and think of its most broadest term, then narrow that down from there. Next, I have a better understanding of information environments. When I need to locate information, I first identify which "pond" I want to fish in. The speed at which I locate information is definitely getting faster as a result. Third, my search syntax is getting stronger. I now know how to use proximity operators. I want to learn how to nest better, I am still not that strong with it. Finally, my ability to curate information and present it in a manner that is easy to understand has grown tenfold. I look at the LibGuide I made last semester compared to this one and it is like night and day. Overall, I have learned so much. I even impressed my FE librarian to the point where she wants me to teach search operators to the students! My favorite week so far has been this one. I like learning about the deep web, I was always very curious about it. It seems the deep web is a necessary evil because without it, there could be total censorship.

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I have learned so much about search that it’s hard to decide where to begin! The search activities by far have been the most rewarding since I learn best when I try things out on my own.  I have become a lot more comfortable using databases in the information environment and less “afraid” to try new ones since I know more about the search process and new strategies aside from just using quotation marks and Boolean operators.  The most useful ones for me so far have been truncation and proximities as well as the ability to view the search history and combine sets, all related to information vocabularies.  Dan Russell’s Google MOOCs were also a very memorable activity. I was already familiar with many of the concepts, but I did learn some new tricks like how to use the color filter for images in new ways and how to create personalized maps.  I’m excited to be able to use many of these skills in real life situations for myself and for students, and I’m hoping that I can remember them when the time comes!   

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I have learned so much about search that it’s hard to decide where to begin! The search activities by far have been the most rewarding since I learn best when I try things out on my own.  I have become a lot more comfortable using databases in the information environment and less “afraid” to try new ones since I know more about the search process and new strategies aside from just using quotation marks and Boolean operators.  The most useful ones for me so far have been truncation and proximities as well as the ability to view the search history and combine sets, all related to information vocabularies.  Dan Russell’s Google MOOCs were also a very memorable activity. I was already familiar with many of the concepts, but I did learn some new tricks like how to use the color filter for images in new ways and how to create personalized maps.  I’m excited to be able to use many of these skills in real life situations for myself and for students, and I’m hoping that I can remember them when the time comes!   

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I can't believe the semester is halfway over! It has truly been an informational whirlwind. I think a lot of my biggest AHAs have been learning about how to search more efficiently. Prior to this class I had done a lot of database searching but had never really thought of how to strategize my searching process.

There are so many new strategize I learned in this class that I'm excited to take with me into the future. Some examples include proximity searching, including synonyms for facets within the search, and taking advantage of controlled vocabulary when it's present.

I've also learned a lot about different databases resources and when to use them. Prior to this course I didn't realize the vast number of database resources out there. Now I know that you can target specific databases depending on the content of the research question and what type of information you are looking to retrieve.

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I think the most noticeable threshold I've crossed in this class is Tucker's first: Information environment. The world of search suddenly seems infinite to me, after two decades spent blindly moving through the world. At times or during certain modules up to this point, the learning possibilities in the field of search have felt overwhelming; I love learning, in general, and I always want to learn everything I can, but I have a bad tendency to front load too much information or work, and burn myself out.
As for the second threshold (structures), I've always been torn between wanting organization and order in my life, and just wanting to be left alone to absorb what learning/information I can. I am also a nerd that loves programming languages and learning new skills, and I love being able to pick things apart and understand what makes them work. I know retrieval algorithms are more than I can learn or understand in 15 weeks, but I hope I have a grasp on the topic by now.
I've loved learning how to use the vocabularies of search in this course; I think it's been my strongest gain this semester.
Overall, I imagined this class would be very information-dense, and that I wouldn't enjoy it very much, so I'm shocked to say I'm loving this work.

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This is Ken Richter, I am unaware how to change my name from Anonymous...
What I found most interesting in this class were the extremely minute details that occur in the background of most searches. I before had not thought of how search terms were identified in the systems, and how the systems interpret the terms we give them. After learning about them and what they are, I really want proximity operators to become more mainstream. I think they could be really useful in the context of free web search, and I could think of numerous ways in which I could use them.
I feel that now I am screening my searches for more productive means of searching before actually entering anything in the search box, thinking up terminology, how to use tools like quotation marks and boolean operators, and figuring out the best place to start a search; whether that be the database or search engine of choice, or the resource used.