Conducting Online

ResearchHow to Locate and Evaluate Internet

Resources

Many people know a lot Many people know a lot about technology but about technology but NOT a lot about how to NOT a lot about how to search the Internet!search the Internet!

Can you search Can you search effectively?effectively?

Do I know how to be a good, efficient searcher?

Considerations:Considerations:

1. Am I using the best source?

2. What do I know about Internet research?

Internet Research involves:

Search engines Gathering information Website– treasure or trash? Crediting sources (avoiding

plagiarism – no copying) Organizing Synthesizing info (putting it together) Presenting what you have learned

Electronic Searching

Ever try to locate information online

and you get too

many results??

or

no results at all?

Keyword searching

Powerful if done correctly.

Very fast. Used with search

engines on the Internet.

Usually, people use search Usually, people use search terms that are too broad. terms that are too broad. This will produce too many This will produce too many results that are not relevant results that are not relevant to your topic.to your topic.

The Big Mistake

Keywords

You must provide a word or set of words that will enable a computer to find matches, or “hits.”

Example:

What are the effects, if any, of television violence on children?

Keywords: effects

television violence

children

Boolean Operators

Connecting terms that give instructions to the computer

AND OR NOT

Notice the capitalization – and is not the same as AND

Boolean Operators: AND

AND allows you to combine terms:television AND violence

AND is a limiting searchThis will access results pertaining to BOTH

television and violence viewed on TV.

violencetelevision

Assignment – Research a college or school (post-secondary education)

Art AND collegeArt AND school

This will find records pertaining to art colleges and art schools.

Boolean operators: OR

OR allows you to search for similar terms

OR expands the search

children kids

Search Term Hits

Adolescents 97 hits

Teenagers 75 hits

Adolescents or teenagers

172 hits

Using OR between search terms

Teens involved in car accidents – search for – Teens OR adolescents

AND car accidents

Boolean Operators: NOT

NOT allows you to exclude terms

NOT is a limiting search.

cabletelevision

Dolphins NOT Miami

NOT

Assignment – Research dolphins, their habitat, physical characteristics,

etc.

Phrase Searching

VERY USEFUL searching TIP!!! Using quotation marks “two words”

Tell the computer to look for two or more words together:

“television violence”

“acid rain”

“Red River Valley”

“Red River Valley of the North”

Search StringA search string is one word or a string of words

that you ask a Search Engine to use so it can find that specific piece of information online.

 

Some Search String Strategies...

What it does...

chocolate chips Searches for websites that contain either chocolate or chips.

+chocolate+chips Searches for websites that contain both words. Be sure there is no space between the plus sign and the word.

"chocolate chips" Searches for websites that have both words, found right next to each other. 

"chocolate chips"-cookies Searches for websites that contain the phrase "chocolate chips" but do not contain the word "cookies".

With these search techniques, With these search techniques,

you will save time… you will save time…

and be more successful in and be more successful in obtaining the results you need!obtaining the results you need!

But – I found it But – I found it on the Internet?on the Internet?

Treasure...Treasure...

oror

Trash?Trash?

Why do we need to evaluate web sources?Why do we need to evaluate web sources?

Virtually any person can publish almost anything on the Internet.

Unlike most print sources, web sources do not have to be professionally accepted and edited to be published.

Before clicking on the link, look to see if Before clicking on the link, look to see if it is a personal page. Check out the it is a personal page. Check out the domain name or the “dots”:domain name or the “dots”:

.gov = Hosted by a U.S. government agency

.com = For-profit business, personal sites

.edu = Educational organization

.org = Nonprofit organization

.net = Hosted by a network

.biz = Business site (newer than .com)

.ac = Academic organization (outside the United States)~ = personal webpage

Try the C.A.R.S. Try the C.A.R.S. evaluation checklist:evaluation checklist:

C – CredibilityC – Credibility

A – AccuracyA – Accuracy

R –ReasonablenessR –Reasonableness

S - SupportS - Support

Credibility Credibility

•Who is the author? •What are the author’s credentials – experience, education, training – in the field related to this information?•Has the author provided contact information?•Appearance of site – looks professional, pictures and/or graphics, organized, neat        

Warning signs:

Anonymous InformationAnonymous Information

Misspellings, faulty links, messy Misspellings, faulty links, messy appearanceappearance

•When was this material compiled or created, and When was this material compiled or created, and when was it presented? Is it recent?when was it presented? Is it recent?•Is this a comprehensive presentation of the Is this a comprehensive presentation of the thinking and the facts related to this topic?thinking and the facts related to this topic?•For whom and for what purpose (advocacy, For whom and for what purpose (advocacy, information, persuasion) is this information information, persuasion) is this information intended?intended?

AccuracyAccuracy

Warning signs:Warning signs:Out-of-date or undated information, expired links, Out-of-date or undated information, expired links, inaccurate or overly generalized information, inaccurate or overly generalized information, biased informationbiased information

Does this author argue points fairly and Does this author argue points fairly and dispassionately?dispassionately?

•Is the material presented objectively, or is it Is the material presented objectively, or is it slanted and bias?slanted and bias?•Does the information make sense, given what I Does the information make sense, given what I know of the world? Is it believable?know of the world? Is it believable?•Does the information contradict itself?Does the information contradict itself?      

ReasonablenessReasonableness

Warning Warning signs:signs:

Manipulative or emotional language, Manipulative or emotional language, one-sided information, a conflict of one-sided information, a conflict of interest between the source and the interest between the source and the objectivity of the information.objectivity of the information.

•Has the author provided documentation –a bibliography (list of works or resources) for this information? •Can you find at least two other sources that support the data presented?

SupportSupport

Warning signsLack of documentation of claims, information that contradicts other reliable sources of information, positions on issues that you already know to be faulty.

Additional Information to remember – Additional Information to remember –

Cite your sources, clip art, photos. Give Cite your sources, clip art, photos. Give credit where credit is due!credit where credit is due!

The media center has baskets with The media center has baskets with Cite Cite SlipsSlips that you can use to document. that you can use to document.

You can also find sites online that You can also find sites online that document for you – document for you –

http://www.easybib.com

http://www.citationmaker.comhttp://www.citationmaker.com

Practice safety when online!Practice safety when online!

If you are on MySpace, consider If you are on MySpace, consider making your page private. Never put making your page private. Never put personal information on the Internet – personal information on the Internet – such as where you attend school or such as where you attend school or where you live. This could be very where you live. This could be very dangerous. It is best to keep your dangerous. It is best to keep your personal information private to personal information private to everyone in the cyberworld. You never everyone in the cyberworld. You never know who you are really “chatting” know who you are really “chatting” with! with!

Do you really want this Do you really want this man to have toman to have to

Hunt You Down???Hunt You Down???

Review – Putting it all Together

When searching the Internet, use keyword searches to access the fastest, most relevant results.

Look at the “dots.” What type of webpage is it?

Use the C.A.R.S method to evaluate the page – Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Sources

Document your information

Use safety and good, ole’ common sense when working or playing online