Searching and Evaluating Searching and Evaluating informationinformation

How should I search for information How should I search for information in the library?in the library?

CreatedCreated10-12-0410-12-04Angela LukeAngela Luke

What are we going to do?What are we going to do?

Learn some basic terms when computingLearn some basic terms when computing Develop some “search strategies” to help YOU Develop some “search strategies” to help YOU

find information find information Introduce databases and the InternetIntroduce databases and the Internet Learn some fancy “tricks” to help you Learn some fancy “tricks” to help you

navigate the online databases here at schoolnavigate the online databases here at school

Basic TermsBasic Terms So What is a Search Engine?So What is a Search Engine?

Anybody????Anybody????A search engine is like a folder, and inside the folder there are individual A search engine is like a folder, and inside the folder there are individual

pages of information. Search Engines allow pages of information. Search Engines allow YOUYOU to type in to type in key wordskey words and “phrases” to locate websites that are related to your interest or and “phrases” to locate websites that are related to your interest or

search. Examples:search. Examples:

Search Engine Examples

Basic Terminology (cont.)Basic Terminology (cont.)

What is a Website?What is a Website? A website is much like a book. They contain information about people A website is much like a book. They contain information about people

places, and other cool stuff. They are just in electronic format. They have places, and other cool stuff. They are just in electronic format. They have words, images, animations, and information.words, images, animations, and information.

The Web consists of millions of "pages" or screens of text and graphics The Web consists of millions of "pages" or screens of text and graphics

that have built-in links to other pages on the Internet.that have built-in links to other pages on the Internet.

•A website is similar to a

magazine with the first page of the site being the cover.

Examples:

•

Search Engine (Yahoo)Search Engine (Yahoo)

CBS television

Samurai JackMcDonalds

An example of All the different “pages” (websites) inside of the search engine

NFL Page

Yahooligans

Basic Terminology (cont.)Basic Terminology (cont.)

What is a database?What is a database?

A large collection of articles, newspapers, and A large collection of articles, newspapers, and informationinformation that that is picked by is picked by professionalsprofessionals and shared and stored for people to and shared and stored for people to

access.access. Did you know there are many databases at the Lafayette Did you know there are many databases at the Lafayette

HomepageHomepage? ?

How many? How many?

Examples are:Examples are:

Lafayette School Site DatabasesLafayette School Site Databases

Database Vs. InternetDatabase Vs. InternetDatabaseDatabase

Information picked by a Information picked by a professional and is reliableprofessional and is reliable

Regulated InformationRegulated Information Use keyword search to Use keyword search to

locate informationlocate information Use first when researchingUse first when researching

InternetInternet Information comes from Information comes from

anybody!!! anybody!!! Unregulated InformationUnregulated Information Use search engine to locate Use search engine to locate

information sourcesinformation sources Good Idea to use after you Good Idea to use after you

have a base of informtation have a base of informtation from a reliable source such from a reliable source such as a database.as a database.

Searching Terms to help you find Searching Terms to help you find informationinformation

When you are searching for information use “keyword When you are searching for information use “keyword searches”.searches”.

A keyword search is a term used to locate what your looking A keyword search is a term used to locate what your looking for. It is used for both the Internet and databases.for. It is used for both the Internet and databases.

Lets look at a search we can conduct with both the Internet Lets look at a search we can conduct with both the Internet and a Database.and a Database.

Example: Example: http://www.google.com/http://www.google.com/

How to Narrow Your SearchHow to Narrow Your Search After typing in your Keyword use After typing in your Keyword use ANDAND to to

help narrow your search!!!help narrow your search!!! When you use AND the computer will only search When you use AND the computer will only search

sites that have sites that have bothboth of your keywords. of your keywords.

Searching Using ANDSearching Using AND

Skateboarding Tricks

What do we get???What do we get???

Skateboarding Tricks

Skatingboarding Tricks

Lets Practice:

Novel Database Jr. Edition

Evaluating a WebsiteEvaluating a Website

NOT ALL WEBSITES HAVE GOOD NOT ALL WEBSITES HAVE GOOD INFORMATION!!!!! INFORMATION!!!!!

Imagine that, all the sites you look at might not be Imagine that, all the sites you look at might not be reliable!!!!!reliable!!!!!

So how do you know if a website is good or not? So how do you know if a website is good or not?

The 5 W’s of Web Site EvaluationThe 5 W’s of Web Site Evaluation WhoWho:: Who wrote the web page? Can you find their Who wrote the web page? Can you find their

name? What kind of education do they have?name? What kind of education do they have? WhatWhat:: Does the author say what their purpose of the Does the author say what their purpose of the

site is? Is the site easy to navigate? Is there lots of site is? Is the site easy to navigate? Is there lots of advertisements, text, color, pictures?advertisements, text, color, pictures?

WhenWhen:: When was this site created? Is it updated When was this site created? Is it updated regularly? Does it have a date on it?regularly? Does it have a date on it?

WhereWhere:: Where does the information come from? Is Where does the information come from? Is the website a .com, Is the information one sided or the website a .com, Is the information one sided or bias?bias?

WhyWhy:: Why is this information useful? Why is this Why is this information useful? Why is this page better than all the others? Does this page page better than all the others? Does this page correlate with the databases or print sources correlate with the databases or print sources information on the subject?information on the subject?

Some ConsiderationsSome Considerations

Be sure you Be sure you spellspell the words correctly the words correctly Do you know how to navigate the search Do you know how to navigate the search

engine your looking at? engine your looking at? Try multiple websites, search terms, and Try multiple websites, search terms, and

databases to get your informationdatabases to get your information

Lets PracticeLets Practice

In partners go through the checklist provided and In partners go through the checklist provided and evaluate these two websites.evaluate these two websites.

httphttp://://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus.html zapatopi.net/treeoctopus.html http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_fo/fo_oct_exhibit.aspfhttp://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_fo/fo_oct_exhibit.aspf you finish early go into the schooldatabases and you finish early go into the schooldatabases and

search for octopus information.search for octopus information.