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Best and Worst Query
Students learn from examples--both good and bad. This lesson engages students in thinking about which queries are potentially the best (and worst) for retrieving the desired information.
This activity requires the flash-based Best and Worst Query
Introduce the activity by showing the first example, indicating that four searchers (e.g., A, B, C and D) were given this problem. Each searcher created a different query to retrieve an answer.
One of the queries is the best (or worst) for bringing the desired information to the top of the list of results. Have the students vote for the best answer (click the radio button on the display) after discussing the questions below:
Example 1: What snowboarder claims to be working on a klijfsdlkoioihgk flip followed by an hsfda883dsfnb frontside spin? (Note: that is not a typo)
Which searcher created the best query?
Best and Worst Query Flash file
Point out the characteristics of each query:
A: a single term with no operators: hsfda883dsfnb
B: a string of two terms in quotes: "klijfsdlkoioihgk flip"
C: two strings of quoted terms: "klijfsdlkoioihgk flip" "hsfba883dsfnb frontside spin"
D: a long phrase pulled from the problem: klijfsdlkoioihgk flip followed by an hsfda883dsfnb frontside spin
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Point out how many operators are included in each query:
A: none (only a single term)
B: one (a quoted string)
C: three (two sets of quoted strings connected by AND)
D: five (ANDs connect all the terms, except the stop words by, an -- stop words are dropped from the query by the search engine)
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Encourage students to explain what each query will do:
A: will retrieve an exact match for a very unique keyword
B: will retrieve an exact match for a string of two words, in that exact order
C: will retrieve an exact match for two strings that each contain a very unique keyword, in any order
D: will retrieve pages on which all the words in the query occur, in any order -- except for the stop words; pages with less than all the words will also be retrieved.
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Ask/discuss:
Which query will produce the most results? (D)
Will any of the queries produce 0 results? (C contains a misspelling)
Which query is the best? (A -- such a unique keyword does not require any operators; B will work but the operators and the term flip are unnecessary)
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| The answer is found on a site that contains autobiographical information by champion snowboarders. (Answer: Shaun White) |
 Example 2: How many US states have a Bigfoot Society?
Which searcher created the best query?
Again, point out the characteristics of each query:
J: two terms joined with an OR operator and two terms in QUOTES: US OR state "bigfoot society"
K: a string of two terms in quotes followed by the NOT operator and another keyword: "bigfoot society" -canada
L: a wildcard operator followed by a quoted string: * "bigfoot society"
M: a long phrase placed in quotes: "how many US states have a bigfoot society"
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Ask students to identify the number of operators in each query:
J: three (OR, AND, quoted string)
K: two (quoted string, NOT)
L: two (wildcard, quoted string)
M: one (quoted string)
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Have students explain what they think each query will do:
J: will retrieve pages that contain US or state AND the exact phrase "Bigfoot Society"
K: will retrieve an exact match for the string and exclude all the pages that contain Canada
L: will retrieve an exact match for the string and any term that comes before it
M: will retrieve an exact match for the phrase in quotes
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Again, ask:
Which query will produce the most results? (J)
Will any of the queries produce 0 results? (M)
Which query is the best? (L -- the results will include pages about Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society, the International Bigfoot Society, and so on.
Why not K? (K works almost the same as L, but if the term Canada is included on any Bigfoot Society pages, that information will be eliminated.)
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| The answer (not known) has to be compiled by finding all the different __ Bigfoot Societies found in the the list of returns. |
 Example 3: Is the Western Bigfoot Society and the International Bigfoot Society actually the same organization?
Which searcher created the WORST query?
Point out the characteristics of each query:
W: four terms joined with an AND operator (indicated by the space) western international bigfoot society
X: two terms joined with an AND operator, followed by a phrase in quotes: western international "bigfoot society"
Y: two terms joined with an OR operator, followed by a phrase in quotes: western OR international "bigfoot society"
Z: two terms joined with OR and a quoted string connected to the other terms with OR : western OR international OR "bigfoot society"
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Ask students to identify the number of operators in each query:
W: three (three AND)
X: three (two AND, quoted string)
Y: three (OR, AND, quoted string)
Z: three (two OR, quoted string)
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Have students explain what they think each query will do:
W: will retrieve pages with all the words in any order
X: will retrieve pages with at least one of the two words in any order and an exact match for the string
Y: will retrieve pages with at least one of the two words and an exact match for the string
Z: will retrieve pages with at least one of the two words or an exact match for the string
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Again, ask:
Which query will produce the most results? (Z)
Will any of the queries produce 0 results? (no)
Which query is the worst? (Z -- many results will be irrelevant).
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| The answer can be found in the snippets (yes, the organizations are the same) |
Go to the final page of the flash activity for feedback on students' selections. If they (as a group) missed one or more items, review what went wrong, referring to the tables above.
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For a more hands-on option, provide the link to the flash activity and have each student select the best or worst answers prior to discussing the choices as a group.
Another effective application of this type of activity is to collect student queries and display anonymous examples for the group to analyze. Assign any of the Search Challenges and, without searching, have students create what they think will be the best query. If you need time to analyze the queries yourself, make this a two-session activity.
This activity may be used in conjunction with the Operator Assessment in this Kit. Either have students take the Assessment followed by this lesson in operators, or the other way around. If the Assessment comes last, consider displaying some good and bad examples (anonymously, of course) for students to evaluate as reinforcement.
If time allows, students may search for the answers to any of the examples. They may be divided into three searching groups.
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