Tomorrow I have to teach a class for better searching for scientific information on the world wide web. In the introduction I try to highlight the major trends in research and the information landscape. I came up with the two following bullet lists.
Trends in science and research
- Increased multidisciplinarity
- Increasing cooperation between scientists
- Internationalization of research
- Need for primary data
- More competition for same grant money
Trends in the information world
- Increased importance of free web resources
- From information scarcity to overload
- After A&I databases, journal currently digitization of books
- From bibliographic control to fulltext search
- Open Access & Source
- Multiformity of resources
- User in control
I wondered if anybody has some additional suggestions for either one of these lists.
I would argue that issues like “internationalization of research” and “need for primary data” are not emerging trends, but the recognition that (global) information technology and digital networks might provide a solution is pretty new (”eScience”). In addition to the trends listed under information world: What do you think about “microformats” or “linked data”?
‘User in control’ - potentially, yes - de facto, user in confusion.
There are some at http://hwlibrary.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/science-search-engines/ that you don’t have in your list of science search engines.
Hi Roddy,
Yes the list I am using in the course is certainly not comprehensive. But it lists only the best (in my opinion). But thanks for the additions.
Wouter