Practical 4&5

Unlike Google search engine, Meta Search engine do not have its own database. In a returned result, relevant information from various databases are collected together making it convenient for users as they do not need to access multiple search engines.

Subject directories on the other hand makes browsing the easiest and most effective as users can find their way through a hierarchy of topics. However, search results do not go into millions like Google search engine. Hence, the probability of finding what u need or what is relevant to your topic would be lower.

Thus, I did a search on Yahoo directory using the same search query but the number of times the search term appears in the results is the lowest compared to Google and MetaCrawler. The returned searches are places of volcanic eruptions and mostly irrelevant topics like prophecy, alien VS predator.

By using different search facilities, we are open to wider and broader information related to our search topic as the different search facilities may provide us with assorted information. As some search facilities may provide little information relevant to our search topic, by using different search facilities, the chances of finding useful information would increase. This would greatly enhance our resources.

With the use of site feeds, information is organized in a structured format. Hence, reading of blogs and other related sites would be easier. Furthermore, browsing my friend’s blog or any related site would be more effective and convenient!

Wiki Collaboration

Collaborating on Wiki with other students has given me a meaningful opportunity to gather information of a common subject with users whom I do not know. It can be surprising sometimes when you find that some users provide information which you are not able to supply. Moreover, the content may be aesthetically interesting and some are out of the ordinary.

However, collaborating on Wiki can be unethical as other students are able to edit your work without any notice or even delete the whole of your entries.

Second Life

Temasek Polytechnic and PolyU Collaboration on Second Life

For this week EIR, we were asked to complete an E-learning activity. Virtual youths meeting and networking on Second Life as well as virtual shopping spree on Second Life. However, we have to first complete a visit to The orientation island on Virtual Life before starting our e-learning activity.

Some screenshots of my visit to The orientation island:






























Afterwhich I teleported to PolyU Campus on Second Life by keying-in "HKPolyU Campus" on the Map. And here I am!















At HKPolyU Campus, I get to know a student from Hong Kong. His avatar name is BillyNg Daylight. We chatted and exchanged some information needed to complete our assignment.















This is BillyNg Daylight, flexing his muscle. Look! How interesting can Second Life be! =D


































It is an interesting experience on Second Life as I get to know people from Hong Kong through a virtual meeting. The exciting part is to get to chat with somebody I don't know and exchange information about ourself. The best experience on Second Life is to voice chat with a friend through microphone. However, this function can be a bit lagged.

It is important to observe my manners and behaviours when meeting my new friend on Second Life. Because we can't see face to face, our behaviours speak a lot about ourselves. Thus, I need to be careful about my manners and how I communicate with my virtual friend to prevent giving them the wrong impression! Moreover, everyone shares the same chatbox. So, our conversation is not kept private!

It was fun getting to know a new friend from Hong Kong through virtual life. He was really nice to share with me some information. I get to know what he usually shops online, what he usually buy, his favourite sites and some popular E-shopping sites in Hong Kong!
From this E-learning experience, I get to meet new friends and expand my social network online!

The most challenging experience on Second Life is to maintain a conversation with somebody. As there can be many people chatting at the same time, the chatbox tends to be flooded with different conversations. As a result, I would need to keep scrolling the chatbox to read my conversation so as to keep the conversation going!

EIR Practical 3- Facebook Forum

I have also participated in a Facebook discussion forum. The topic is 'Internet makes users feel more lonely and alienated. Do you agree? Why?'.

I was a bit doubtful at first as it was my first forum discussion I am involved in. However, it was a good experience as I get to voice out my opinions and get to know how different users react and respond to the discussion. It was also great to receive replies and comments about the users point of view towards the topic.

Compared with the traditional face-to-face in-class discussions, online discussion are more engaging as you would not get interrupted when voicing out your opinion or afraid that people may shoot you with negative feedbacks or comments directly in your face or get laughed at. It was definitely a meaningful and a unique way of expressing your thoughts other then classroom activities.

Discussion forum is definitely going to be helpful for my research as the information I am able to receive would range widely. Furthermore, it is an easy way to acquire information too!

Google VS Google Scholar

During this week's practical, we were introduced to Google (http://www.google.com/) and Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com/). Ever heard of Google Scholar? Well, it's something new to me as well.

"Google Scholar provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles." -abstracted from Google. As such, the 'advanced scholar search' feature in Google Scholar would be efficient in finding specific articles that one need.

Here's a search query I have created to be used for researching in search engine: (causes OR reasons) AND (effect* OR impact) AND volcano AND (erupt* OR explosion) AND (society OR people). Here are the screenshots of the search results after entering the search query in Google and Scholar Google.

After exploring Google and Scholar Google, I find that Google is useful in providing me with the relevant results for my research whereas Scholar Google provides results that are irrelevant to my research topic. Moreover, I find that Google is more established and widely used than Google Scholar. I am also more familar with Google. Hence, I have decided to access Google to gather the information I need.

Google has different features and functions. And each of them are equally important in assisting users in their search. Google also ranks it's site by it's popularity. Hence, clicking more than the first few pages of the returned results would be considered as inefficient! I have also learnt that using search query that include keyword and variations help make my search easier. Overall, I am impressed by the information Google is able to provide me with!


Citation and Biblography
Citation acknowledges the source of information as inadequate citations imply plagiarism. As such, it is an essential feature in a research work. Bibliography on the other hand is an extensive list of sources you have consulted as you worked on or thought about your document. To represent the research you've done in preparation for writing, you can identify the sources by citing in your work as it also offers your audience suggestions for further reading on your topic.

Online Discussion Forum

In this practical, we are also asked to access either a discussion forum or a newsgroup that is related to our topic. I started by searching Google for a topic relating to my topic on Volcanoes. There are many results on different forum sites on the topic Volcano. However, many of the post have become "stagnant". For example, the newest post in the thread can be dated a year or two ago. So, I doubt the person who started the thread will reply my post.

Finally, I come across a forum page http://www.topix.com/. They have different topics in their forum page and were widely used by netizens. Then, I found a few discussions related to my topic and quickly decided on one. Here it is: http://www.topix.com/forum/news/volcanic-eruption/TG4NHS3I6R6H23QGG#lastPost. There is a total of 14 posts and the posts are quite recent.

Here are some screenshots:

I have replied a few posts on the thread.

The forum page also shows related discussions on volcanoes where I could access at ease.

What I've learnt in EIR Practical 3

In this practical thus far, I have learnt that there are many forms of internet resources. Some of them are Blogs & Wikis, Online Forums, Newsgroups, Mailing/ discussion lists, and Full-text documents. Moreover, they exist for a different purpose. ie. Information, Advocacy, Business/Marketing, News, Personal, Entertainment.

I have also learnt that the term “Wiki” also refers to the collaborative software (wiki engine) that supports the operation of such a website and that "wiki” is a short version of the Hawaiian term "wiki wiki", meaning "quick" or "fast". It is also an interesting fact that "Wiki" is sometimes intrepreted as “What I know is”.

I have also learnt that using keywords, wildcards, Boolean operators and phrase-searching further refines my search. These search functions helps make a search more efficient!

E-Shopping Spree- If I have $500...

If I have $500, I would like to buy..

1) Fuji Instant Instax Mini 7S Polaroid Camera + Film&Case: S$ 142.09

Wouldn't it be nice if you can get instant photos of yourself with ur family and friends anywhere and anytime?

2) New Lomo Holga 120N 120N Snap Shot Plastic Camera: S$ 34.65

I think its pretty cool to own a Holga. It is inexpensive and no two Holgas are quite alike, each one with different personality and awaits you to explore them. Having a holga inspires one to take creative pictures.

3) Fossil women watch- Analog Champagne Dial S$195.00

First impression counts. Having a watch like this would definately make one looks smarter.

Moreover, the black inlays give this shiny timepiece the ability to dress up any look.