I feel as if the filter bubble does not apply to databases.
I searched Social Science Journals and MEDLINE with full text. I don’t believe
the basic ideas of filter bubbles applies to databases because why would there
be any sort of bias towards academic research databases that is designed to
pull up the best results? I can understand Google being hassled by filter
bubbles but not any database. In both search boxes I searched for “West Nile
Virus outbreaks,” for Social Science I received 251 results and for Medline I got
back 69. As I read through some of the articles on both databases I noticed
that their content was different. Social Science Journals focused more on real
events, awareness, and prevention of the West Nile virus. Most articles often
spoke on the outbreak that occurred in New York in 1999. MEDLINE focus was on studies,
statistics, graphs, and numbers. MEDLINE would be the database used for quality
information to educate my peers on what exactly the WNV is and also provide
statistical proof to back my research. Therefore I would use Social Science
Journal to gain information on prevention tips and exactly how to handle an
outbreak since most of the articles in that database covers actual events. I
would then utilize MEDLINE to gain knowledge on what the WNV is, where it stems
from, and provide statics on studies that were done.
I used PsychINFO as a database and It was very helpful. I wont agree on you with the fliter bubbles not acting on databases. The databases take what you research and add more to your topic, making more of an option for you. Filter Bubbles act on what you research the most and add more information to it. Basically what databases do as well.
ReplyDeleteI don’t exactly agree that the filter bubble doesn’t exist in the databases because some aspects of the filter bubble can be found when using the databases but for the most part the system is a lot more narrow than Google. But sometimes it being narrower could be better because it gives much better results. I agree on which database would be better than others.
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