Ten Steps to Better Web Research Ms. De La O English 9

Our generation “It is very likely that our students’ brains have physically changed– and are different from ours – as a result of how they grew up

But can they search the Web PHOTO Their generation

The younger generation Are “digital natives” experts at searching the Web? Google Never questioned the reliability of the websites they accessed. Recognizing good sources How do you do research? what do you do next: Try another search engine Try different words How do you know it’s a good source? What do you check? author credibility When it was last published? Electronic media Overwhelm youth with information Skills or experience to evaluate. “Getting by” with Google.

If a search doesn’t give you good results... What do you do next: Try another search engine Try different words How do you know it’s a good source? What do you check? author credibility When it was last published?

WE’RE LOST

What do I need in order to research? Recognizing reliable sources + consider infinite options Understanding intellectual property rights Engaging modern audiences with conclusions = EFFECTIVE USE OF THE WEB

Step 1: Think Before You Search Define your task rewrite assignments in their own words.

Step 2: Where to Search Databases CSULA library webpage Use student-friendly tools for organization e.g. Symbaloo or Diigo. Ask a librarian or teacher to recommend individual sites.

Step 3: Try Several Search Engines take a“Google Holiday” meta-search engines (Zuula, yahoo, bing) SweetSearch research experts 10

Step 4: Dig deep for the best results Many websites rank high for reasons unrelated to the quality of their content. “what happened today.” 11

Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You Connectors AND and OR Quotation marks .org .edu .gov “Kennedy" AROUND(10) “moon” NOTE: both search terms must be in quotes, AROUND must be capitalized, and the number must be in parentheses. 12

Step 6: Don’t Believe Everything You Read Students should think like a detective. Information is only as good as its source. No single element determines credibility. ALWAYS verify critical information with several sources. 13

Step 7: Find Primary Sources “eyewitness accounts” If you suspect a site may not be the original source of information, look a key phrase.

Step 8: Who Published the Article? Do editors or experts review the information? Is it thorough? Reputation of author and publishers Google Scholar If the site does not provide the name of the publisher and its editors you cannot rely on it. Be wary of sites containing words like "free/discount/best/your/Web.” Advertisements Even if it “looks good or sounds good.” 15

Step 9: Why Was the Article Written? Always ask, “why did the writer write this?” Is the site trying to sell you something? Activity #3: whitehouse.gov is not a neutral source for information on US presidents 16

Step 10: When was information written or last revised? Determine when an article was published or last updated. Use a news search engine, add the current year as a search term, or Advanced Search Options to restrict dates 17