[WEB4LIB] Re: In defense of stupid users

[Ross Singer]

Erik Adams wrote:

>Think of the Reference 101 example of the patron who is being audited by
>the IRS and wants to defend themselves by arguing that income tax is
>illegal.  Google will helpfully, and without editorial comment, provide
>the user with links to web sites discussing "the Ohio Argument" and
>similarly dubious schemes.  The user is now happy, having gotten the
>exact information they were asking for.  But has the user's information
>need been satisfied?  Is the user "savvy"?  And, was the simple tool the
>best one for the job?
>  
>
I think this analogy is a bit of a fallacy.  Our collections are, by and 
large, controlled and are far more finite than what gets indexed by Google.

Also, you could (conceivably) rank results based on more academic criteria.

If the user is going into a search with the goal of supporting their 
hypothesis, they can do that whether they have all the training in the 
world or not.

-Ross.