To Google or Not To Google...

So... I use Google every day. I use it for important things, like finding legitimate citation sources for my Media or American Lit papers; I also use it for relatively stupid and childish things, like if I want to see a bunch of cute pictures of panda bears... or John Stamos. But enough of that.

Chris Nolan's presentation really opened my eyes to the complexities of search engines; I had no idea that Google made up 2/3 of all internet research, in line with some lesser search engines like AOL, Yahoo, and Dogpile (which I have never heard of in my life). I like to call myself a conformist, as I probably read information off Google more than I read information off text books. And I pay for textbooks. Google is free. Why do I torture myself?

What is convenient about Google is that it primarily brings forth the most visited and the most appropriate material on your topic search. Aside bringing up the most relevant material when I type in things like 'Sarah Palin + hilarious' -- Google, like the rest of us (most of us), has a sophisticated academic side! It has more of a specified database that filters through sources and brings up material deemed as 'strictly academic'. What's GREAT about this academic Google filter is that it saves me valuable time sifting through "lolz my cat t0tally lo0ks lyke Erne$t HemingWay!!!1!" and leads me straight to "Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway".

I also learned that Wikipedia might just be the worst thing ever. Don't ever use it in a citation. Don't ever trust an Encylopedia that is at the mercy of billions of global citizens. Google it!

Cheers,

Kendra