Tagging is an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (websites, pictures, blog posts, etc.). Unlike library subject cataloging, which uses controlled vocabularies (i.e. Library of Congress subject headings), tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data any way they want.
In the past few weeks, we’ve already explored a few sites – Flickr and LibraryThing to name two — that allow users to take advantage of tagging. This week, in addition to exploring Technorati tagging, we want to also take a look at the popular social bookmarking site Del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us).
Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking manager which allows you to bookmark a web page and add tags to categorize your bookmarks.
Many users find that the real power of Del.icio.us is in the social network aspect, which allows you to see how other users have tagged similar links and also discover other websites that may be of interest to you. You can think of it as peering into another users’ filing cabinet, but with this powerful bookmarking tool each user’s filing cabinet helps to build an expansive knowledge network.
For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at Del.icio.us and learn about this popular bookmarking tool.
Discovery resources:
*Otter Group Del.icio.us tutorial (8 min video) – Highly recommended!!!
*Us.ef.ul: A beginners guide to Del.icio.us – a little dated but still some useful information
* A QuickStart Guide for del.icio.us social bookmarks – PDF file
Discovery Exercise:
1. View the 8 minute Del.icio.us tutorial to get a good overview of its features.
2. Take a look around Del.icio.us using the boatwright account that was created for this exercise. Note: In this account you will find lots of resources that have been highlighted or used throughout the course of the Learning 2.0 program.
3. Explore the site options and try clicking on a bookmark that has also been bookmarked by a lot of other users. Can you see the comments they added about this bookmark or the tags that they used to categorize this reference?
4. Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool.
Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?
Optional: If you’re up to the challenge, create a Del.icio.us account for yourself and discover how this useful bookmarking tool can replace your traditional browser bookmark list.
BONUS! Try out WORDLE on your del.icio.us tags (or someone else’s) if you have an account and get a very nice (and pretty!) visualization of your tags. Check out an example here.
