INTERNET SEARCH ENGINES’ COVERAGE OF LOCAL INFORMATION SOURCES ON SIX TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN OYO STATE, SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

This Study comparatively analyzed the extent to which Internet Search Engines (ISEs) index local information sources on six tertiary institutions in Oyo State, Southwestern Nigeria. Specific objectives include: i) building of specific queries and selecting search terms, ii) identifying and selecting some commonly used ISEs, iii) using queries to search the WWW, iv) presenting and iv)reporting the figures of the search results. Controlled practical search experiment was carried out. Comparisons made include subject Areas (ten local information sources), Subject Areas and Oyo State and Comparison of subject Areas for these following six Tertiary Institutions and Oyo State: i)Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, ii) The Polytechnic, Ibadan, iii) Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, iv) The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, v) Oyo State College of Education and vi) College of Agriculture and Technology. ISEs used in this study are Bing, Google and Yahoo. The results of the search were as presented in tables and graphs. Google returned the highest local information sources hit in Technology, Education and Culture. Bing came second with its’ highest hit in Culture, Education, Religion, Technology and Tourism. Yahoo came third with highest hit in Population and lowest in Indigenous Knowledge. Oyo State, Nigeria was added to the Subject Areas. Google took the lead then Bing and Yahoo. On subject areas on the six institutions: Bing returned the highest, then Google and Yahoo. The returns for comparison of Subject Areas Only and Oyo State, Nigeria by the three search engines: Google returned the highest hits. The Study recommended that tertiary institutions in Oyo state should ‘leapfrog’ stages in ICT and maximize Internet Search Engines’ potential for local information sources. Governments should also provide ICT infrastructure, train website developers, information professionals and technicians.