6.3: Create and implement a complex search strategy

Table of Contents

1. Designing a complex search strategy
2. Reviewing search terms in the light of results - broader/narrower/related terms
3. Collection and presentation of results
   1. Electronic citations
   2. Presenting information to the client

Presenting information to the client

You should devise a logical structure for presenting the information to the client. The most commonly used structures are based on these arrangements:

• Alphabetical
• Chronological
• Geographical (grouped by country, region or town)
• Topical (grouped by sub-topics)
• Categories (eg: type of organisation - public, private, voluntary)
• Accepted hierarchies (eg: biological taxonomy)
• Sites presenting one point of view, followed by sites presenting the opposing arguments

1

Traffic Congestion Seach You have carried out a search about traffic congestion charging in British cities which has resulted in 20 websites that you consider provide useful information. What would be a useful structure for listing these? This topic is a contentious issue at present, so you would probably opt for having one group of sites which support congestion charging and a second of group of sites which oppose it. Another possibility would be to group by city. First of all London which has actually introduced the congestion charge. Then other cities such as Bristol, Cardiff and Edinburgh which have considered/are considering such a charge. You may have thought of other equally valid structures. The important point is that the chosen structure is logical and helpful to your client.

We've now reached the end of this section, which is also the end of Outcome 3. You can go back to any topic by using the menu at the left-hand side of the screen, or return to the Unit 6 home page by clicking on the ICTL logo at the top left of the screen.