Get Wise to Web Searching!

Why should I use the Internet for school?

Positives Negatives

+ current information - sometimes out-of-date information is not removed

+ can find primary sources - sources may contain plagiarized information

+ access to a wide variety of people - biased people with agendas create web sites

+ unique information not found in books - facts are not verified

+ lots of potential for multi-media - lots of potential biased or inappropriate material

+ saves time? - takes too much time?

+ can have exactly what you need - overwhelming amounts of irrelevant information

Are there alternatives to the Internet?

Yes, databases offer some great advantages over the Internet.

Databases Internet

Includes information that was initially Free access for anyone who wants to make a

reviewed before publication in a magazine page – search engines do not review materials.

Materials are frequently the same as they There is no connection between most websites

had been in print. and credible magazines.

Publishers create databases; usually with Anyone can create a web page. Many sites are

education in mind, therefore they review not created accurately for educational use.

and screen materials before they .edu – educational website .com – commercial website

add them to the database. .net – commercial website .org – websites for groups

.gov – gov’t. website .k12 – schools

Access to databases are restricted in some way,

usually only accessible through libraries, who Anyone can access any web page, unless the

subscribe to their services. Since libraries pay good computer has filters. Legitimate sites can be hijacked, or

money, they expect a useful and dependable resource. inappropriate, biased, or inaccurate sites can be disguised.

So how should I research?

• Try a database for current academic related information first. Or check appropriate books.
• Then if you don’t find anything, try a search on known educational sites.
• If that doesn’t work then try a general Internet search.

Where do I find good, well-known educational sites?

• Some are listed on the “Good Websites for Students Hand-out.”
• At other times try to search using a Webquest. These are searched already prepared by teachers on particular topics. Use your search engine (Yahoo, Alta-Vista, Google, Dogpile, etc). Enter your topic into the search box; add the word webquest, and then search. Ex: “civil war”+webquest
• Use kid’s search engines for basic information: Ask Jeeves for Kids - http://www.ajkids.com. Kid’s Click http://www.kidsclick.org, or Yahooligans http://www.yahooligans.com.
• Limit your searches to just .edu, .org, or .gov sites. Use http://www.searchedu.com. This is more likely to give an educational site, a government resource, or a well-known organization.
• Use online encyclopedias.

How do I know if I have a good website with accurate info?

• Check to see if contact info, sources cited, date of last update, and cited sources are listed.
• See if there is an “about” page. This should give you a biography of the person and would let you decide whether or not s/he is considered an expert.
• Consider the motives of the author. Why do you think s/he made this page? Is it for students?
• Pay attention to the web address ending. Commercial sites can have good information, but they may have biased information depending on what they’re selling.
• Notice the warning signs: bad spelling, emotional writing, exclamation points and caps.
• When in doubt, ask questions. Could you find the same information on other sites or in other sources? Never rely on just one source.

How can I have more success searching the Internet?

• Use advanced search techniques, also called a Boolean Search.
• Typing in civil war on most sites will return results that contain either the word civil or the word war. Try using quotes “civil war”.
• Instead of quotes, you can also improve your search by using “+” or “and”, like cancer+cells.
• Excluding words can help too. If you want to find historic information on pirates, use “not” or the minus symbol. For example: pirates not movie not Caribbean
• You can also use combinations of tools to search. Like: pirates+history-movie-Pittsburg
• Some search engines use the words “and”, “or”, “not” instead of the plus/minus symbols.
• Yahoo tip: When you search a broad topic like “cloning,” you get a huge list of responses, many of which are off topic. When you find a good site and want to get more like it. Go back to your Yahoo list of hits. For the site you just looked at, hit the grey category button link.
• For Google, hit the “Similar Pages” link.

What’s the easiest way out?

Go to web sites that are already designed for you. Teachers and librarians have evaluated the information contained within. The links within these are credible sources. Most of these sites offer homework help links by subject area and research sources.

• AOL at school- http://school.aol.com
• Awesome Library- http://www.awesomelibrary.org/
• Education World- http://www.education-world.com/
• Fact Monster- http://www.factmonster.com
• High School Hub- http://www.highschoolhub.org/hub/hub.cfm
• Infohio- http://www.infohio.org (login: infohio, password: search)
• Internet Public Library- http://www.ipl.org/
• Librarians’ Index to the Internet- http://www.lii.org
• Library Spot- http://www.libraryspot.com
• Ohio Public Library Information Network – OH! Teens- http://www.oplin.org/teenhome.php
• Ohio Public Library Information Network – OH! Teach- http://www.oplin.org/ohteach/
• One Search- http://www.oplin.lib.oh.us
• Start Spot Network- http://www.startspot.com/network/
• TekMom's Search Tools- http://www.tekmom.com/search/