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Blog search engines

Mike Thelwall (School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK)
Laura Hasler (School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK)

Online Information Review

ISSN: 1468-4527

Article publication date: 14 August 2007

2349

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to explore the capabilities and limitations of weblog search engines.

Design/methodology/approach

The features of a range of current blog search engines are described. These are then discussed and illustrated with examples that illustrate the reliability and coverage limitations of blog searching.

Findings

Although blog searching is a useful new technique, the results are sensitive to the choice of search engine, the parameters used and the date of the search. The quantity of spam also varies by search engine and search type.

Research limitations/implications

The results illustrate blog search evaluation methods and do not use a full‐scale scientific experiment.

Originality/value

Blog searching is a new technique, and one that is significantly different from web searching. Hence information professionals need to understand its strengths and weaknesses.

Keywords

Citation

Thelwall, M. and Hasler, L. (2007), "Blog search engines", Online Information Review, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 467-479. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520710780421

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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