CPSC 110: Project #5

Questions About Query Results

For the John Calvin searches of Lab #5, let's assume that the fewer number of pages you get back the better the query is. Answer these questions:

• Compare the number of pages you got for Queries #1, #2, and #3 of Lab #5. Which query works the best? Did you expect this this query to be best? If so, why? If not, why not?
• Compare the number of pages found for Query #4 of Lab #5 to Queries #1, #2, and #3. Why is it so much larger?
• Explain the difference in the number of pages returned by Query #5 and Query #6.
• Why isn't the number of pages returned for Query #7 surprising?

Searching for Information

Find the answer for each question using the Web. Indicate where you found the information on the Web, and describe how you got there. List URLs and search queries in exact detail.

1. Ambiguous Genesis
   1. How many albums has the rock band Genesis released?
   2. How many chapters are there in the book of Genesis in the Bible?
2. Harry Potter
   1. When is the Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban movie being released? (Important note: this is the third book/movie.)
   2. When is the fifth Harry Potter book being released?
3. When did Jim Henson (the creator of the Muppets) die?

You may be able to answer these questions from other sources, but you must find them on the Web.

Reliability of Searches

You can use searches to solve some problems like spelling. Suppose you had to write a paper about a famous mathematician who helped build one of the first computers and had the idea that programs should be stored in memory (not built into the hardware). The problem is, you don't know how to spell his name. Fortunately, the man was a genius, and so you know many Web pages have been written about him.

• You know his first name is "John" or "Jon".
• You know the first part of his last name is "von" or "van".
• You know the last part of his last name is "Neuman" or "Neumann".

Using your own favorite search engine, do a search on every possible combination of these names (there are eight in all). Put double quotes around the full name so that the search engine treats it as a phrase.

1. What search engine did you use?
2. How many pages were reported for each possibility?
3. Based on the number of pages returned, what spelling do you think is correct?
4. Can you be sure? Why or why not?
5. Would you be eager to use any of those pages that misspell his name as a reference for your report? Why or why not?

Turn In

Type up the answers to these questions in a word processor, and turn in a printed copy. Turn in printed copies of the first page of links given to you by the search engines. Make sure your name, course number (i.e., "110"), section letter, and "Project #5" are written clearly on each paper. This project is worth 25 points. See the schedule page for the due date.

Other Projects

Continue working on the email project. Start working on the Web project.

Schedule page --- Lab #5 --- email project --- Web project

Last modified: Wed Jan 30 10:35:18 EST 2002
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