Information Literacy What is it?

Information Literacy Ability to locate, organize, evaluate and use information Combines computer and research skills Sources of information: Internet, databases, books, newspapers, television and radio

Internet There is so much information on the internet. How do you tell what’s good information and what is bad information?

Search Engine Program on the internet to help users search for files and information Top four search engines: Google - Yahoo - Ask - AlltheWeb -

Other Search Engines AltaVista – was the Google of way back when (now owned by Yahoo). AOL search - Live Search – (formally MSN Live) –

Question #13 How do sites get to the top of a result list in Google? Popularity – counts the number of links from sites all around the web. For example, if a large number of sites has a specific keyword somewhere on their web site along with a link to a particular site. The higher the number of links to a site, the higher Google will rank that site on a list result.

Question #13 How do sites get to the top of a result list in Google? (cont) Other factors: Title of site, Sites meta information Actual content of the site

Major Directory 0 knew Major Directory Major Directory catalogs (indexes) the Web Open Directory – – not recommended for searchinghttp://dmoz.org Use Google Directory -

Some answers for Question #1 Wikipedia – NO! – not a search engine Wikipedia is a reference source Free Online Encyclopedia Articles are written collaboratively from volunteers around the world Facts are checked. Answer.com – Online Dictionary, Encyclopedia, reference source

Some answers for Question #1 – not search engines Thebostonchannel.com – a website for WCVB TV – Channel 5 Boston Hotmail.com – Microsoft’s free web- based service.

Boolean Operators (Question #5) Terms used to narrow or expand your results of online searching AND OR NOT Named after George Boole who invented the logic in the 1800’s

AND, OR, NOT

Boolean Search Search Dolphins and Whales – this will retrieve all records that have both keywords dolphins, whales Search Dolphins or Whales – this will retrieve all records that have dolphins, whales or both dolphins and whales. Search Dolphins not Miami – will retrieve all records with the keyword dolphins, but not the keyword Miami

Question #3 Why might you use quotation marks when searching. To ensure your keywords appear in the order you have specified Search global warming – no quotes Search “global warming” Note the differences in the results

Question #4 URL is an acronym for: 1 – the brain – wrong! 1 – United Rare Ladies – wrong! 4 – Universal Router Link – wrong! 7 – IDK 2 – Universal Resource Locator – Correct! (web address)

Question #6 – How do you find the owner or publisher of a site 0 – correct answers Go to enter the URL of the site you would like to researchwww.easywhois.com Try to find the owner or publisher of

Question #7 – Extensions of URL.org – organization – does not have to be non-profit.com – company.sch – school (used outside US).k12 – most US school sites.edu – US higher education (colleges)

(Cont) - Extensions.gov US government (add country code for outside US).ac – higher ed outside us usually with a country code ie “.ac.uk.net – network.mil – military.co – company (if pared with country code, ie “.co.uk”) or state of Colorado, or the country Columbia

Question #8 How do you find out who is linked to your school’s website? Go to Alta Vista: www:altavista.com and do a link: command search Type link:

Question #9 What clues in a web address might indicate that you are on a personal website? Tilde “~” in the domain name urces.htm Percent sign “%” in the domain name Personal name “john” or the word “user” after the domain name and the first forward slash learn.org/litcircles/silverman/silverman.htm

Question #10 How would you conduct a search for the following: a list of websites of all the academic institutions in South Africa? Go to Alta Vista: Type host: ac.za in the search box For subject specific resources around the world using extensions and country codes. Full list of exentions and country codes: dictionary/domains.html

Question #11 How do you find the history of any given website? Use the Wayback Machine Go to and type the URL you are researching.

Question #12 How do you conduct a search for the following: US higher education websites that contain the word turtle Go to Alta Vista: Type: “host:edu + turtle”

Question #2 What is a blog? Short for weblog A Web 2.0 tool Online Journal Can be about anything Example: - Blog about the book The Secret Life of Bees