Search Strategies when using Google, Evaluating websites
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1. Finding Web Resources Janetta Garton Technology Curriculum
Director Willard R-II Schools
http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/tech/findeval.htm
2. Search Engine vs Subject Directory Search engine a huge
database of web page files assembled by machine. Use when you need
timely information have a focused idea and good keywords Subject
directories organize sites by subject users choose a subject and
browse users drill down to reach a list of resources See the
Fusion: Web Resources: Finding, Evaluating, and Organizing workshop
web page for a list of educational subject directories
3. Search Engine Strategies
4. Specific Keywords Keywords Precisely describe your search
topic. Expect to see on the webpage Do not search with a question
Change the question into a query by answering, What am I looking
for? Who, what, when, where, why, how Proper nouns Where would you
find this information?
5. Few words Try to limit your keywords to just 3. Place the
most unique keyword first. Google will locate only the pages that
have ALL your keywords.
6. Use quotation marks for exact phrases proper names: George
Washington quotes: I have a dream location: Springfield MO phrase:
All mimsy were the borogoves
7. Use synonyms and related terms Google returns pages that
match variations of your keywords: e-mail, email; child, children;
~ Tilde operator takes the word immediately following it and
searches for both it and its synonyms: ~inexpensive will find pages
that contain inexpensive, cheap, affordable, and low cost. If a
keyword has multiple meanings that will cloud your results, dont
use it or qualify it. For example, web would find pages with a
spider web, network, fabric, or membrane. If there is a related
word that will cloud your search, use the operator to exclude the
word from your search: mercury element planet -car
8. Dont use stop words the, on, where, how, to, a, I do, for,
and are, at, be, but, by from, had, have, her, his, in, is, it,
not, of If a keyword is a stop word, add a "+" sign immediately in
front of it, include a space between the "+" sign and any other
words in your search: Star Wars Episode +I
9. Refine your query using search results Scanning summaries
returned by your first search can give you ideas for keyword
refinement. You might notice an evocative phrase that better
describes your target. Google may even offer a suggestion,
especially if you have misspelled a word
10. Evaluating Sites
11. Triangulate best way to check the accuracy of information
on a webpage is to find the same information in at least 3
different sources, triangulate the data.
12. Look at the URL Personal site? ~ users members people
Purchased URL indicates credibility Type of domain? .edu higher ed
.gov government .com commercial business .mil U.S. military .net
Internet service providers .org non-profit organizations .ca Canada
.uk United Kingdom Purpose of site? Inform, facts, data explain
persuade, sell, entice share entertain personal a hoax
13. Scan the Perimeter of the Page Authors? Affiliation or
Credentials? Contact Information? About page, Contact, Top, Bottom
Homepage: Truncate URL back to domain name, removing parts after
each / Google the authors Dated? Current enough for your topic?
Recently updated?
14. Look for Quality Indicators Links to other resources?
Working links to other reputable sites Who links to this page?
Google link:URL, for example:link:http://jgarton.edublogs.org
Biased viewpoints? Any signs of prejudice, emotional language,
facts omitted; reasonable interpretations
15. Assignment
16. When and where was Buffalo Bill born? Specific Keywords :
proper name Buffalo Bill; biography, information typically found in
a biography Few Words : Buffalo Bill first since it is the most
unique Quotation marks : use for the proper name Stop words :
where, and, where, was
17. When and where was Buffalo Bill born? William F. "Buffalo
Bill" Cody was born just west of the Mississippi River near
LeClaire, Iowa on February 26, 1846.
18. How can I contact one of my US senators? Possible Keywords
: Missouri US senator Specific Keywords : Proper noun US, Missouri
Few Words : Missouri first since most unique Stop words : how, can,
I, of, my
19. How can I contact one of my US senators?
20. Find a recipe for lamb with mint sauce. Possible keywords :
mint sauce recipe lamb Specific keywords : what=recipe Few words :
Mint sauce first since most unique Quotation Marks : Mint sauce in
quotes Stop words : a, for, with
21. Find a recipe for lamb with mint sauce.
22. How long did it take the first person to cross the US by
car, and in what year was it done? Possible Keywords : first across
US drive Specific keywords : US proper noun, how=drive, when=first
Few Keywords : first is most unique word Synonyms and related terms
: cross is a word with multiple meanings, better choice would be
across Stop words : how, it, the, to, by, and, in, what, was,
Refine query using search results : a search using car gave a lot
of first car information, so drive is a better word, first followed
by across instead of first
23. How long did it take the first person to cross the US by
car, and in what year was it done? Answer : In 1903, it took 63
days for H. Nelson Jackson to drive an automobile from coast to
coast of the United States.
24. What do the eggs of a cardinal look like? Possible Keywords
: cardinal eggs -baseball Few Words : cardinal most unique so put
first Stop words : what, do, the, of Search engine operators :
-baseball
25. What do the eggs of a cardinal look like? Answer : Color:
Buffy white with medium brown spots. Size: 22.4-27.9 mm x 16.9-19.6
mm. (0.88-1.1 in x 0.67-0.77 in)
26. What animals are in danger of becoming extinct? Possible
keywords : endangered animals list Few words : endangered is the
most unique and should be first, Stop words : what, are, in, of
Refine query using search results : change danger to endangered,
add list since most of the results are articles and campaigns
27. What animals are in danger of becoming extinct?