DIS 19, Fiat Lux: "Just Google It":
What It Really Is and When It's Appropriate

(as well as issues of Identity and Privacy)

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Fall 2009, Dr. John V. Richardson Jr.

Professor of Information Studies, UCLA

3-4 PM in GSE&IS Bldg., Room 121, west of the Young Research Library

 



Course Description:


Google, the world's most popular search engine, indexes more than nine billion WebPages thereby generating trillions of keywords. This Fiat Lux course explores the rise of the Internet and the World Wide Web as an important, if not authoritative, source of information (for facts, news, shopping, and geography). Describes Google's features, compares and contrasts it with other WWW resources, and thereby explores evaluative criteria including such issues as accuracy (and repetition), authority, believability, credibility, legitimacy, and trust as well as social issues such as anonymity, self-identity, personas, self-respect, community building, copyright and fair use, and privacy rights.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the course, students will have learned when it is appropriate to use Google and more importantly, when it is not.

Course Outline:

I. Google's History and Founders' Background (September 24th)

a. Brief History of the Internet and WWW and Google

i. DARPA, the Internet, and UCLA's Vinton G. Cerf (TCP/IP)

ii. Tim Berner-Lee at http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/

iii. Hyper Text Mark Up Language (HTML) at http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/

iv. September 1998, Stanford's Sergey Brin (married in May 2007 and video; plus Anne Wojcicki's company)) and Lawrence Page at http://www.google.com/corporate/execs.html#larry

v. S. Brin and L. Page, "The Anatomy of a Large-scale Hypertextual Search Engine" (1998) at http://infolab.stanford.edu/~backrub/google.html

vi. Googlebot, a web crawler or spider and the robots exclusion protocol at http://www.robotstxt.org/wc/exclusion.html

vii. Googling Google at http://blogs.zdnet.com/Google/ and http://googleblog.blogspot.com/

b. Disintermediation at http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/jrichardson/image002.gif

c. Principles of Bounded Rationality, Least Effort and Satisficing

d. Evaluative Criteria of Search Effectiveness

i. Popularity (see http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500) and age of pages

ii. Relevance, Precision, and Recall at http://www.hsl.creighton.edu/hsl/Searching/Recall-Precision.html

iii. Quality based on title tags, ranking of citations or backlinks (link:address) analysis and .85 damping factor, anchor text, proximity, capitalization, and font size

iv. Role of Metadata at http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/struct/global.html

v. Improving Search Results (with the use of techniques such as quotation marks, or *, or - , or filetype:ppt, or site:edu)

vi. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Techniques

e. Assignment 1 (Due Next Session): Think of a topic, search it, and discuss the search results, using the criteria we have discussed and explain the results in terms of the likely search algorithm (be sure to emphasize the why rather than what you found as a result of the search); or, write your own thoughts about the role of Google in your life. One page limit.


II. Google Search Engine (www.google.com) and Google Browser (October 1st)

a. Keyword Searching (KS) versus Controlled Vocabulary (CV) defined; pros and cons at http://oasis.fiu.edu/Ch3/IA4b.htm; CV example at http://www.yahoo.com and other human-powered searching at Mahalo.com

b. Compared to other engines at Search Engine Watch.com

c. Advanced Searching Techniques

i. More than one or two word term searches (see Brin and Rank's contrary opinion above)

ii. Search history feature

d. Google-bombing, Google-Spoofing, and Google-hacking

e. The beta Google Browser: Google Chrome; see also http://www.google.com/chrome and Chrome (Fall 2009 presentation)

e. Google DeskTop and Inside Google DeskTop

f. Google Quick Searches via SMS 46645 (define word, movie or weather zip code, VIN number, Fedex/UPS tracking, current flight numbers, patents, tail numbers)

g. Storage Issues and privacy concerns (along with static versus dynamic IP, dial-up, and refreshed DSL); no cookies and Google Watch; note that there is now top level privacy statement, but only recently; for fictionalized view of possible privacy invasion, read Cory Doctorow's "Scroogled" at http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-09-17-n72.html.

h. The Internet Archive: Wayback Machine at http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

i. "Search Google Efficiently: Class Presentation" by Jinah Jung (F2007) and "Google Search" by Amanda Selnick and Miguel Solis (F2008)

j. Potential Presentation 2: What can you find about yourself on the WWW, using a search engine? Explain the results.

III. Google Images and YouTube (October 8th)

a. Compared to other programs (what do you use?)

b. Compression of Images (lossless or lossy when you crop, use red eye reduction, or color correct)

i. Raw (.raf, .crw, .mrw, .nef, .orf, .dng or .pef) and RGB image formats, out of more than 100 formats)

ii. Compression of images, Joint Photographic Editors Group (JPEG 2000), Windows Bit Map (BMP), and Graphic Interchange Format (GIF), versus TIFF (Tagged Image)

iii. EXIF embeds the make and model of your camera information when using JPEG; see http://www.digicamhelp.com/learn/glossary/exif.php

c. Picasa and IPTC G-2 standard

d Google Sketch-Up at http://sketchup.google.com/

e. Self-identity and privacy issues; see the Privacy Act of 1974 which applies to US federal agencies; " see, Jeffrey Rosen, "Google's Gatekeepers: Nicole Wong and her colleague decide what the world can see on YouTube," New York Times Magazine, 30 November 2008, pp. 50-55.

f. Some favorite sites (from the Spring 2007 class) and class presentation for Fall 2008

g. Potential Presentation 3: Compare and contrast your self-identity on the web versus your "real-world" identity; in other words, what do you think about "the presentation of self in everyday society." Or, why can't people in Turkey access YouTube?

IV. Google Uncle Sam and Patents (October 15th)

a. Compared to www.Firstgov.gov at www.Firstgov.gov, now renamed USA.gov

b. 44 USC 1901 and GPO Access; copyright and "fair use" (i.e., purpose, nature, amount, and effect) as well as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act

c. Google's search of the US Patent and Trademark Office at http://www.google.com/patents; see patents 6725259, 6678681, 6658423, 6615209, 6526440, and especially 6285999 (Page assigned to Stanford); Fall 2008 PowerPoint presentation on patents

1. Stephen E. Arnold, Google Version 2.0: The Calculating Predator (preface)

d. Potential Presentation 4: Find a federal law (i.e., passed by US Congress and signed by the President) which relates to Google that interests you and explain why.

V. Google News (October 22nd)

a. Compared to Yahoo! News, MSNBC, AOL News, CNN, and Internet Broadcasting as well as the New York Times and New York Times Reader

b. Google Alerts at http://www.google.com/alerts

c. "Newspapers" at newspapers.ppt and Google's News Archive

d. Google News PowerPoint Presentation, Fall 2008 and Fall 2009

e. Potential 5: What's the chronology of events in China leading up to censorship of Google's News there? Are print-based newspapers dead? Whether you say yes (what could they do?) or no, provide evidence for either choice.


VI. Google Scholar, Book Library Project, Catalogs, and Inventorying and Finding Books (October 29th)

a. Google scholar compared to ISI's Citation Indexes, http://Addall.com, collectorz.com or http://librarything.com or http://resourcemate.com or intelliscanner.com as well as Project Gutenberg's 17,000 electronic books

b. Inside Google Book Search; see also, "Microsoft is releasing Live Search Books, its competitor to Google Book Search, in beta" at http://tinyurl.com/y4o92g.

c. Challenges to Google: "A Brief Survey of Google Books" by Paul Duguid (First Monday) and "Scan This Book!" (Library Journal) and the landmark October 2008 publishers agreement and Association of Research Libraries explanation (November 2008) and now the dissent!

d. "Library Scanning Contracts" at http://books.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=43752

e. Fall Presentation 2008 on Google Book Project

f. Google Scholar Blog; the visible versus the invisible web--especially the Deeper Web and How to Get There via IP authentication

g. "Magazines on Google Book" at http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/search-and-find-magazines-on-google.html

h. "Abebooks Glossary" at http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/TextToHtml?t=Glossary&h=x&f=glossary.htm

i. Peter Jasco, "Newswire Analysis: Google Scholar's Ghost Authors, Lost Authors, and Other Problems," Library Journal 24 September 2009.

j. Potential Presentation 6: What's the best price for one of our DIS 19 class textbooks (see below)? Why? What factors do you consider in determining "best"? Or, find three peer-reviewed journal articles related to a topic from one of your other classes.


VII. Google Earth, Local, and Maps and Street View (November 5th)

a. JPL's "Global Positioning System" at http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/Programs/gps.html

b. NASA's "Satellite Tracking" at http://science.nasa.gov/realtime/

c. Compared to the AOL Mapquest, Ask Maps and Directions, Windows Live Local, Yahoo! Maps, Frappr.com and RandMcNally.com or the Times Atlas of the World ; see also "Comparing the Mapping Services" at http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/04/17/comparing-the-mapping-services/

d. True or false colors; see "False-color" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False-color and maximum resoution per pixel

e. Digital Globe's QuickBird, digital image supplier to Google Earth

f. Street View Gallery" of interesting and odd captures at http://streetviewgallery.corank.com/

g. GPS navigation systems for phones and cars using the Android OS

h. Mash-ups, using Google's mapping API at http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=679546&rl=1; take a look at some examples: muti.co.za/static/newsmap.html, en.pediax.org, flood.firetree.net, www.fastfoodmaps.com, www.gmap-pedometer.com

i. Test of Google's API at http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/jrichardson/courses/mashup.htm

j. G-Earth Presentation, Fall 2007 and Google Earth Presentation, Fall 2008 and Google Earth, Fall 2009

k. Potential Presentation 7: Discuss the international perspective on privacy (e.g., why won't Street View be available anytime soon in Germany or Switzerland?) Using the different services above, find your home; also, look at Tokyo, Japan, and look for the "UCLA" logo on top of a major campus building; what do you conclude about copyright, ease of use, image source, resolution at maximum zoom, and true or false color?


VIII. Google's Froogle, now called Product Search (business and finance) (November 12th)

a. Compared to traditionally print-based sources such as Barron's, WSJ

b. See Writely and JotSpot at Google Documents and Spreadsheets, Page Creator, as well as Google's Calendar

c. Google Finance

d Goog-411 at http://www.google.com/goog411/ compared to MS's Tellme or Yahoo's OneSearch with voice and Adobe Acrobat Reader 7's Read OutLoud feature

1) See also Google's ACM technical paper "Large Language Models for Machine Translation" in pdf

e. Compare Google Finance to other online sources such as BizRate.com, Buy.com, Dealtime.com, TheFind.com or mpire.com, or shoplocal.com, or frucall.com, or wize.com

f. Google as an Investment (Is it a good investment?)

g. Google's Ad-Sense at https://www.google.com/adsense/ and "Highest Paying Search Terms" at www.cwire.org and "Playing Monopoly with Google" and "Wired's The Secrets of Googlenomics"

h. Rosa Deng's F2007 presentation at http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dhhspmsv_2cgcd4q and David Wukan's S2008 presentation at Googles Froogle.ppt and Jeanne Fong's F2008 presentation at Froogle.ppt

i. Potential Presentation 8: Thinking of something you'd buy (for instance, an iPod, Wii, etc.), and find the best price.


IX. Google Trends and the Future of Google (November 19th)

a. Trends, Labs at http://www.google.com/trends and Topix Google News

b. Zeitgeist at http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html

c. Will there be a Google phone to compete with the iPhone? Yes, it's called the Droid; see early announcement at PC World. See GrandCentral.com in meantime.

i) Note the new domain name called .mobi

d. Google's Philanthropy at Google.org; note Google's Health Project

e. January 2008 Forecasted Predictions by ComputerWorld, 1 January 2008

f. Google Trends Presentation, Fall 2008, by Xiaotian Chen and Yi Huang

g. Potential Presentation 9: Compare "apple pie, orgy" for Pensacola, FL or another comparison; what is the next major trend? How confident are you? Why?

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY--26th November


X. So, What is Google, where have they been, and Where is It Going? (December 3rd)

a. What is Google? Where have they been?

b. Where is It Going?

c. Turn-in Take Home Final, One Essay Question ("When is it NOT appropriate to just Google it?")

d. Course Evaluation (228-057-201)

Recommended Textbooks (see addall.com for best prices)

ONE SHORT WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT, ONE GROUP ORAL PRESENTATION, ONE FINAL EXAM, AND DUE DATES

1) The first written paper must not be longer than a single page, double-spaced. Think of a topic, search it, and discuss the search results, using the criteria we have discussed OR write your own thoughts about the role of Google in your life (5% of grade)— Due at the beginning of the second class session. 5% of grade

2) Volunteer to prepare and present one topic in class from the above list (see Roman II through IX). Grading will include content foremost, but wil also include good eye contact, use of gestures, lack of disfluencies, and use of appropriate technology (e.g., a handout or PowerPoint). Worth 45% of final grade. I will try to give you your first or second choice, if at all possible.

3) Write the final essay on the topic when it is NOT appropriate to use Google.--50% of final grade


GRADING CRITERIA

Attendance is expected; you cannot pass this course, having missed the first two sessions. Otherwise, attendance is not formally counted except for the class presentation; class contributions are formally graded during the oral presentations; in borderline cases, however, I will consider overall attendance and class contributions in determining your final Pass/Fail grade. As you know, all grades, including the final grade, are subjective--merely the opinion of the instructor.  When you receive a paper back with a grade, be sure to check ursa.ucla.edu or My.UCLA.edu to be sure that they match. 

Again, grading is necessarily subjective; if these standards are not clear, please ask for further clarification at any time.


STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

"Readings," so labeled above, are required; "additional readings" are optional.  Backup your work regularly. During class, cell phones should be off or on vibrate.  As for late papers: all papers and presentations are due on due date.  Unexcused late papers will be substantially penalized—half letter grade per session.  Suspected research misconduct (including fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism--such as click, drag, copy, and paste without adequate attribution) will result in a grade of DR and be reported to the UCLA Dean of Students; be sure to submit your first paper to TurnItIn.com, if you have any doubts about plagiarism, before handing it in to me.  No extra credit is given.  Incompletes are not awarded in this class; plan accordingly. Disabled students must present the appropriate form from the Office of Student Disabilities at the beginning of the quarter, if they wish special accommodation. You may drop the class up until the last class, according to the UCLA Registrar.

I reserve the right to change the content of this syllabus for any reason including the accommodation of field trips and guest speakers.

Created: 30 August 2006; revised, 23 November 2009