So today’s post is a tad off topic, but I need to share the experience I had last week and when noodling through how we look for data. What got my cogs turning was this very interesting link was shared with me, GoogleI was honored recently to be included in a group invited to ask NFL great Jerome Bettis a few questions about his involvement with the new Severe Allergy and AnaphylaxisPlaybook I am huge basketball and soccer fan, but I couldn’t tell you what a first and down means to save my life. I did a Google search his name and the information I found was not very detailed beyond an amazing, heart stopping football career. I kept thinking, for him to be a spokes person for a life saving medication there has to be just a little more, something tad more special. I know, that sounds like I was asking a lot based on his incredible football career. So, I messaged a friend who enjoys sports and he said that Jerome Bettis a great personality.
Image courtesy of Auvi-Q®
Once I Google Searched Googlepersonality, I found out all sorts of amazing things about his Research beyond Google, 119 Authoritative, Invisible and Comprehensive Resources” and all the awe-inspiring work he does in the community. It was as if a whole new world, beyond football blossomed. In a serendipitous moment, another friend brought up a conversation regarding how when using the internet, information is so incredibly concentrated that there is concern that our children are missing information. I immediately confessed to my own narrow search on Google and how I almost missed what a gift this man is to our nation–outside of an incredible football career. I had searched too narrow. This made me think to back in the college days when I would scour magazines, newspapers, books, encyclopedias and even interview people to gather data. Now, I worry that my children simply plop down in front the computer and skim for what ever data has the best Google search engine results as the whole story.
Image courtesy of Google.com
This pushed me to then realize that his is probably why we struggle with food allergy and asthma education data. If the information isn’t popping up high in Google rankings that the data is not easily found. Hum!?! Now my cogs are spinning regarding how to generate more factual and good food allergy and asthma information on the internet. But..in the mean time, I think reading articles like, “Research beyond Google, 119 Authoritative, Invisible and Comprehensive Resources”. makes a strong statement that we always need to research a bit farther in ensure we truly have the best data available in our hands.
I hope regarding food allergies, asthma and any other topic you research, that you do dig a little deeper to find out all of the facts and not just what has a great Google search engine ranking!
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Even though we can certainly search beyond Google, here are some helpful tips for using Google beyond simple search:
http://mashable.com/2011/11/24/google-search-infographic/
Selena,
Thanks for the share!!!
Oh, and great post, of course! 🙂 Thanks for the additional resources. I had just found that Google had some ways to do Journal searches, but the documents were pretty ancient…
Selena, isn’t it interesting when you think of the big picture and how we gather data??
Great point! And, just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s always correct.
Colette, that is what scares me! People will send me emails with data that is just not vetted or supported.
I’m focusing now on pushing my children to looking for multiple sources.