Design, query, and evaluate information retrieval systems. A satisfactory statement of competence – Addresses each of the three parts of the competency Demonstrates an awareness of design principles for information systems Demonstrates the ability to retrieve information from different kinds of information systems (such as bibliographic/full-text databases, web portals and search engines, OPACs, social media tools, etc.) Describes how the organization of an IR system affects the search strategies used. Demonstrates the ability to use different searching functions, strategies, and tactics for locating relevant information. Demonstrates the ability to evaluate multiple components of an information retrieval system, such as the organization system used (hierarchical, classification, controlled vocabulary, tagging, menus, etc.), the underlying collection of information, the usability of a website, or the findability of the information system.
For librarians to be able to design, query and evaluate information retrieval systems is central to the profession. This competency demonstrates how I have interacted with IR systems and show my ability to evaluate multiple components of some of these systems. In my first piece of evidence, I conduct a search exercise exploring different subscription databases and their respective indexes. In this exercise, I apply effective search strategies with a focus on concept analysis and utilize database aggregators. Next, I present a collection that I have created with a group, creating field names and rules as I consider the typical usage and queries.
Justification of the Evidence
Evidence #1: Search Exercise on Subscription Search Engines
In this exercise, I am able to experiment with key terms and explore search steps to find specialized information. I start off with creating a search plan and write out the search steps choosing specific databases. I then look at the results and “hunt” for the answer to the question posed in the exercise. The exercise itself takes a couple of hours to conduct queries after designing a search plan. At the end, I write an analysis about my process in the search while looking at key terms, limiters, indexing, and subject terms. Since each database has a unique template and list of index terms, the exercise helps me conceptualize fundamental principles of information retrieval systems. As result, after trying several of these search exercises I can confidently approach databases with a different mindset knowing how indexes work.
Evidence #2: Creating an Online Database
This is an opportunity to reflect on users who need to form queries in a database, which allows me to approach IR from the back end. A group of students and I create an online database for recipes, and part of the project is to think about who are users may be, which include cooks, foodies, students on a budget, vegetarians, etc. After we create this online, we also conduct beta testing, having other student groups create queries with our database. This experience expands my perspective as an information professional because the importance of “user experience” is demonstrated by receiving feedback from other students. The way users see a product or a field while searching in a database can have multiple layers and since I was playing the role of “indexer” In our profession, I reflect on the value of user-friendly databases to reach a wider audience of users, which is crucial for information retrieval systems to be most effective.
Conclusion
As a part-time faculty librarian at a community college now, I frequently assist students with how to access our library databases. Learning about the applications of information retrieval query and design has informed the way I think about how to approach online searching. With these important skills, I plan to continue to stay up to date with changes to respective databases at my higher education institution. Though there are general principles to take with me in the search, I know now how to apply strategies when I search and can continue to teach this to my students. I also plan to take courses in more programming languages, specifically markup languages like XML and HTML5 as I expand my foundation of information retrieval systems.