Search and Research:

During the course the student will conduct 10 to 15 major searches on the Internet on topics of the student's choice and/or as assigned by the instructor.

Submission of Results
    Each major search will be worth 75 to 175 points toward the final grade. It must be submitted with up to a one page summary electronically via email.
Subject: 55e Search # XX (enter 1 thru 15 for XX)
    In the Body of the Email include:   1. At least one paragraph answering the question,   2. A second paragraph will describe the techniques used such as search engines and Boolean Operators, number of hits, the number of hits reviewed to find the answer to the question, and   3.The third paragraph will describe what you have learned or discovered in the process.

1.

One Word-One Engine
The First search is one word/one engine: What is a Neurophone and who is Patrick Flanngan? The student should use one Search engine using Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer browser, clicking the Search button or selecting the Search Engine from the CGS 1555 web site:
http://www.fscj.me/P4Backup/cgs1555/engine.html. 75 points

2.
Two or More Words-Two More Engines
The Second Search is two words or more on at least two or more different search engines. Depending on the Search Engine, the student will enclose the group of words in double quotes or parenthesis or without either. What is the purpose of the quotes or parentheses? Try the same search without the quotes.

Example: If you Input: "Western Wyoming Community College" or Western Wyoming Community College or (Western Wyoming Community College) which finds the college in the first hit.With community colleges you will probably get the same result with or without. [This link was left off the Wyoming listings of the American Association of Community Colleges seven Wyoming Community Colleges. However, if you click on the Wyoming State Community College central web site, you can find this WWCC link. During the community college project you will find many broken links on the listing state websites as colleges are changing their domain names to .edu top level domain from .cc.(state).us : HCC changed hccfl.edu to hccfl.edu two years ago. You could type either and you got the same result. However, in April 2004 they un mapped the former domain name so it no longer works. This has cause many of my old pages to stop working on my web site and also externally at other web sites. When you find a broken link in the CCProject on a list, notify the webmaster and cc me for a 5 point bonus.] For your serach think of a group of two or more words and try with and without to see if you get the same results. 75 points

3.
Use Boolean Operators (two or more groupings)
The Third search is three words or more words in at least two groups on at least two or more search engines using the Boolean operators: AND, OR, NOT, then you may compare your individual results with a meta search engine: Dogpile or Goggle.

For example: "Hillsborough Community College" AND "John Taylor" reduces the hits if you type the phrases separately. Then I want to find employment at a community college. When you go to the college's home page, jobs or employment is usually not on the page. You have to find the Human Resources Department. To end the frustrfation trying to find their job opening, you could do the following: "Hillsborough Community College" AND (jobs OR employment)AND ("chemistry" OR "computer science" OR "information science"). 75 points.


4.
People, Places, and Things
The Fourth search is actually eight tasks for you to find people and places search using search engines, web directories, special databases, white pages, yellow pages, etc.
  1. The first task is to see if you can find yourself through an Internet Search Engine or Directory Database such as White Pages. Also explore Big Foot email directory search: http://www.bigfoot.com
  2. The second is to find someone you know with an existing email using several difference search engine or directory people searches. Again try bigfoot.com.
  3. The third is to look for several 'long lost friend or friends'. After searching the datedases, explore the sites for high school and/or college alumni: alumni.com or classmates.com. (Do Not spend money to complete this search.)
  4. The fourth is to enter known phone numbers of at least three individuals not in the same city or state including the area code into the 'Goggle Search Engine'. Report your information found. Try 904-992-2052 for your first number.
  5. The fifth task is to see if you can find your birthday, driver's license number, and/or social security number on the Internet without paying for the information through a service. Some of this data maybe found in the genealogical web sites, the DOT web site. Also visit the Social Security Web Site. Is it possible to obtain any information about a person living or dead from the SSA?
  6. The sixth task is to use Map resources to locate a map to your home. Print out a hardcopy for your portfolio.
  7. The seventh task is to find regional, local, and detail maps to someone you know who is out of state. Is this the best route? Print out a hardcopy for your portfolio.
  8. The eighth task is to use the Map resources to locate your instructor's home at 4417 Port Arthur Road in Jacksonville or some friend or relative out of state.
  9. The ninth task is a people places search to find and communicate an email with a cc to the instructor a person in the academic environment. (As a suggestion find an author of a text that your are using or have used. Search his/her school for his/her email address. In the body of the email first complement the author about his/her work, then ask a question about the book such as when will the next edition be published, why a certain topic was left out of the book, what other book is the author currently working on. ) Include in you port folio any message you receive in reply and forward the reply email to the instructor, if you receive one. Failure to get a reply is expected in most cases and the point is to try to find the email of an author/academic.

    For example, I have sent several emails to Bob Cringsley without a reply. If you watch carefully in the movie, they disclose his email address. I send the email to that address, ikt does not come back with a mail deamon error, so it was delivered. This also why the subject of the email must be carefully worded to interest the person to open the email instead of deleting as we do with the tons of spamm

These nine search tasks for Search #4 Assignment will total 200 points.

5.
E-Commerce: Travel:
During the course, the student will access several sites where you may book reservations for travel. Either use the criteria below or if you actually have travel plans in the future plan a trip to that city in the U.S. or abroad. Select a date that is over three weeks away. Then compare the price with travel to the same city with under seven days notice. Find the best Internet airline price. Then call the airline and check the agent for the best airline ticket price to travel to that city, one way-round and round trip. Be flexible to see that traveling on certain days of the week, three weeks in advance produces the best price and also see what the best price is if you have only six days or less notice. Use the travelvelocity.com, expedia.com, and other high advertised Internet travel/booking sites. Then when you find a good price, go directly to the airline site and compare the ticket with the direct purchase.

Next, try to find a hotel for overnight residence in that city. Also try hotels.com and other web sites dedicated to lodging. Again use the the travel services, the selected hotel's national web site, and also the airline to see the best deal on the lodging.

Last, repeat the processes to find a rental car, using Internet travel services, the airline, and also the car rental agency's web site.

Your instuctor will be traveling to San Antonio, Texas the third week of March for a conference on Monday, Tuesday, ending at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. My friend, Douglas Delair is traveling to St Petersburg, Russia in the middle of May for one month. Either help Douglas or your instructor plan his trip or you plan your own trip for a coming event or vacation. Your choice. For your portfolio print out the travel pages with the best deals. Summaries your findings in an email to the instructor. Subject: 55e or 55t: Search 5: Travel to xxxxx (the city) (75 points)

6.
Auctions and Ebay-Buying On-Line
You must be careful here or you may become an Internet Auction junkie. For search six we want to observe (note the word observe) several Internet Auctions through one of many Auction sites, such as E-bay. Look for an antique, a specific vintage car, or a specific used car, specific music cd you can not find or specific dvd or VHS movie title you can not find. First try to find it online for sale without an auction. Then see if it's available through an auction. Observe the auction(s) daily, then hourly up to the last hour. Send an email to the instructor with a summary of your findings and auction observations.

For example, I want to buy a specific video tape either in PAL or VHS format, dvd, or even an old laser 12 inch disk (just the actual movie) of a Walt Disney 1946-47 movie, currently 'banned' in the United States: "Song of the South". If you can not think of something you want, then as a default 'help your instructor. Your instuctor also has missing from his collection the DVDs (not video tape of laser disk) of three animated movies (properties of Disney, but Disney productions) of the "Brave Little Toaster" series. Differentiate between a legal used copy and a 'pirated' copy of this/these movie(s). If you see an auction on either of these, give him an immediate heads up. More details will be forward through group email as this search is scheduled this term.

7.
More Finding 'the Thing'
In addition to trying to buy a 'thing' for sale on the Internet either through a web site or an auction, either 'help' your instructor or if you have specific collectable, use the Internet to try to find its value.

Ok, your instructor is a Disney 'nut'. As a default, Disney has produced "Classic" animated features. How many Disney "Classics" are there. Find Internet references of other Disney 'nuts' and the complete list. All the "Classics" have been released by Disney on VHS since 1981, but some have not been released on DVD. For example, Disney's recent release of "The Lion King" was one of a handful not yet released on DVD. What are the other titles not yet released on DVD? What is the difference between a 'full length' Disney 'classic' movie (over 60 minutes) and a full length Disney movie, such as "The Brave Little Toaster". "The Goofy Movie" is not a Disney Classic, but "Sleeping Beauty" is, which was just released after a two year delay on DVD. Disney's first animated "classic" is "Snow White'.

Then there is the catagory of integrated animation into a regular movie like "Mary Poppins". "Song of the South" was the second movies Disney integrated animation into a real movie. What was the first in 1946? What some of the others? Also some Disney animators now have their own production like Don Bluth. Find lists of non Disney full length animated features (for kids rated G and PG) that are available. One of my kid's favorites was "The Secret of Nihm". Then there is the question of the Disney greed. Disney and others have made sequels which did not make the movie theater circuit, only the TV/Video market. Can you find a list. Which sequel(s) was/were released in the movie theater?

If you choose to satisfy this objective by your own collectables, use the internet to research data about these collectable. Now my son loves a specific automobile, the Buick Reatta which was produced from 1988 through a half a year in 1991. There is a host of Reatta lovers out there as well as many for sale ranging from $2000 to $25,000. Amazing!

8.
One More Thing: Books
From textbooks to your reading please, shop the Internet for your textbooks and for at least one pleasure book. Visit amazon.com plus the other book vendors like Barnes and Noble plus Borders. Compare your bookstore text prices, the 'off campus competitor', plus the Internet in your search report.
The Soap Box on textbook buying at HCC by your professor.

9.
Multimedia Radio/Audio and/or video
During the course, the student will listen to at least one on-line radio, audio streaming, and/or other broadcasts as suggested by the instructor. More details will be forward to the student via group email. This exercise will be considered search #9. A video streaming program may substitute for the audio assignment.(75 points)

10.
Ad-AWare, Trojan Horses, etc
During the course the student will download the program ad_aware from lavasoft.de the student will find a free version at:http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
After downloading the program, install the program and run the program. It scans your entire hard disk and identifies most of the pop-up ad programs plus some of the other intruding programs. You should never pay for a service to remove the spy/ad programs. Those that install themselves and continue to harass you should never see a penny from you. The free version of Ad-aware will remove most and you should see an increase in the performance of your computer. Research the problem with your term paper. Give the details of what Ad-aware found onyou hard drive in your search report.

"Spyware" refers to small, hidden programs that are embedded in larger applications to report information to advertisers. These programs are included in some shareware and freeware programs because, unfortunately, that's the only way some software developers can pay their bills. If you don't want any part of this, feel these hidden programs invade your privacy, you should definitely use Ad-aware.

Try other free ware such as: Spybot Search and Destroy v1.2. For information and download go to PCWorld.com:
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp
See if it helps. Compare the results with Ad-Aware. Also report your results to the class through a group email.

To supplement Tutorial 10, the instructor may circulate a hard copy of a PCWorld article(s) concerning these annoying programs. the article from October 2003 may also be found on their web site. The student will report which program(s) eliminated the most of the uninvited programs from his/her computer as search #10. This search results should be circulated to the instructor and the class vis group email.(100 points)

11.
Domain Name Search/Registrars:
The Eleventh major search assignment is to research domain names, visit domain registrars, and select a domain name for yourself and see if it is available. If not, find an available alternative. Use any search engines. Also identify the new top-level domain suffixes, which started appearing on the web in 2001. How do the new domains differ from those listed in the text? What will a domain cost you? You should never pay more than $10 to $15 per year for a domain name. Why doesn't your instructor use johntaylor.com? Research your name as a domain. (75 points):

12.
Cyber Security/Internet Courses at Community Colleges The 12th major search will be carried over from the above community college web site project. It will aid the student in completing the Cyber Security Term Paper. While researching the community colleges for best community college web sites, the student will look into their catalog or lists of courses to see if that college offers a cyber security course and a specific course for the use of the internet like this course CGS 1555. Include the course name and number. Send a Group email every time you find a CGS 1555 or cyber security type course. In the body of the email include a copy of the course description from the catalog for each course discovered.

13.
Employment at Community Colleges The 13th major search is for you to help your instructor find a teaching job at a community college, but the searching skills learned may be applied to other fields. Basically, can you use the Internet to find a job? Statistically, it is said that less than 5% of employment results from newspaper ads. Head hunters account for less than 10% of job placement, while State Employment Offices result in very few jobs. Most jobs are found by word of mouth and through networking. So where can the Internet be used? Kim Adams, parttime self paced computer science instructor at Brandon, recently found a teaching job at a corporation through the Internet using an Internet head hunter service. As of June 30, your instructor will be officially retired from teaching fulltime position at HCC. By state regulations he can not work in Florida fulltime in the community college or university systems for one year. He can work a total of 720 hours parttime teaching from August 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005. He may not work for 30 days from June 30,2004 in any state aganecy or public schools.

The best source for jobs in higher education is through a weekly newspaper, The Chronicle of Higher Education. The major part of this newspaper is classified ads for college jobs. Recently, they removed the fees from using the Internet to review the ads placed by colleges. The website is: http://chronicle.com/jobs/100/.

However, there are other sources on the Internet for community college jobs. Most state department of educations in the nation have employment at community colleges listed on their web site. But the best sourse is the HR department on a college's web site. Here's where you can help your instructor who is looking for a fulltime teaching position. As you do your CC Research Project, check each college to see if you can find the HR department and then answer two questions: Are job openings listed (Yes or No) and Can you apply online? (Yes of No). For your CC Project report and Search 13 results, give a tally of how many colleges have HR/Personel departmets on the web site, how many have a listing of current vacant jobs, and how many allow potemtial employees tospply online?

As you see jobs listed at the college web sites you are reviewing, please be on the lookout for fulltime teaching: Chemistry (prefer), Computer Information Science, Instructional Technology and Education. Chemistry may surprise you, but if you look at my resume you find that I was the first fulltime chemistry faculty member hired at HCC in 1969 and have the best chance of securing a chemistry teaching job over a computer science job. It was not until 2000, that your instructor became fulltime computer science, transferring from his original fulltime chemistry position. Also adminsitration jobs such as the Dean of Instruction, Dean of Math and Science, Director/Dean of Distance Learning are also possible, as I spent 15 years at HCC in the administration. When you find a link for a job for your instructor immediately email the URL to him. Beginning in the Fall, I will be adjucnt distance learning for this course at HCC. It may be my only employment until a fulltime position is secured. Thanks for your help and eagle eyes looking out for me.

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