1 Internet Research Third Edition Unit A Searching the Internet Effectively

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Objectives Understand Internet search tools Create an Internet research strategy Identify the right keywords Perform a basic search Add multiple keywords Use phrases Analyze search results Cite online resources

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Internet search tools are services used to find information on the Web Four types of Internet search tools

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Each is better for different searches No search tool searches the entire Web

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Four types of search tools: –search engines –metasearch engines –subject guides –specialized search tools

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Search engines –find Web pages containing keywords entered in a search form index the Web with spiders

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Terms to Use Keywords –describe the major concepts of your search topic Spiders –programs that scan the Web indexing pages for search engines

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Metasearch engines –simultaneously search keywords in multiple search engines

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Subject guides –offer hierarchical subject –categories through which –you navigate to specific links

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Subject guides –broad view of Internet topics –arranged by subject –hierarchical organization –typically handcrafted –professional, academic & commercial

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Understand Internet Search Tools Specialized search tools –find Web pages that are –invisible to other search tools –intelligent search agents –query multiple databases simultaneously

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Terms to Use Deep Web –the part of the Web not indexed by spiders; also called the Invisible Web; –probably 500 times the visible Web Intelligent search agents –simultaneously search multiple specialized search tools

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Creating an Internet Research Strategy Internet Research Strategy –a plan of action to reach –your research goals

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Creating an Internet Research Strategy Define topic and identify keywords Locate needed background information and identify additional keywords Choose the proper search tool

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Creating an Internet Research Strategy Translate the topic into a search query Perform search Evaluate results Refine the search if necessary

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Terms to Use Search query –words and symbols which you enter into a search form and which the search tool uses to search its index Search form –the place on a search tool’s search page where you enter your query

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Creating an Internet Research Strategy Find background information Define your research topic Identify keywords Choose the proper search tool Translate question into an effective search query Perform your search Evaluate your search results If satisfied with the results, be sure to note the information you will need to cite Web pages later If not satisfied with the results, return to an earlier step in the process to refine the search

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Identifying the Right Keywords Identify Keywords –determine which words will best return the results you need

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Identifying the Right Keywords Summarize your topic in a statement Pull potential keywords from the statement Define words & find background information Identify synonyms and related terms

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Terms to Use Synonyms –words that have similar meanings Stop words –words that search tools do not search

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Performing a Basic Search Perform a basic search –enter keywords into a search form and search for relevant links

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Performing a Basic Search Websites change frequently― –appearance, design & even address If a text box or button in the text has changed, look for a similar one If a link indicated in the text is no longer there, tell your instructor

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Clues to Use Most search tools allow you to press [Enter] to start a search Results vary between search engines largely because: –their spiders search different parts of the Web –their ranking algorithms for results are different

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Adding Keywords common mistake made when searching the Internet = using too few keywords to describe a topic

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Adding Keywords using too few keywords to describe a topic = manyirrelevantresults

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Clues to Use Most search engines search according to the order in which you place your keywords Place your most important keyword first

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Using Phrases Use phrases –search for two or more words in a particular order Phrase searching –method of searching to keep your words in the correct order

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Using Phrases Most search tools understand you want to search for a phrase when you enclose keywords in quotation marks

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Using Phrases If you search for: two keywords: results are required to contain both words anywhere on the page in any order two keywords in quotation marks: results are required to contain this exact phrase (or the words together in this exact order) “ solar energy ” solar energy

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Use a Phrase When Searching The name of a person: –“Bobby Orr” The name of a place: –“Memphis Tennessee” The name of a business/organization/institution: –“Course Technology”

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Use a Phrase When Searching: The title of a film/show/recording: –“A Hard Day’s Night” The title of a book/newspaper/magazine: –“Ball Four” A song/poem when you only know a few words: –“you may say I’m a dreamer”

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Analyzing Search Results Analyze search results –understand clues available on a search results page before clicking links

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Analyze Search Results Find keywords in the search results Decipher the URL Note the ranking of results Look for subject directory links Look for cached pages Navigate between search results pages

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Terms to Use URL –unique address of a Web site or page Uniform Resource Locator Algorithms –mathematical formulas used to rank Web sites according to the terms used in a search query

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Terms to Use Cached page –copy of a Web page on a search engine’s computer

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Citing Online Resources Cite Online Resources –use a standardized format to cite the online sources

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Citing Online Resources Cite resources –when you use a standardized citation format, you or anyone reading your work, can easily return to the resources you used

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Citing Online Resources Two widely accepted citation formats are –Modern Language Association (MLA) –American Psychological Association (APA)

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Clues to Use Assume that everything on the Web is copyrighted If you use a fact, quotation, image, or piece of text from the Web, you must cite the source If you do not cite your source, you are guilty of plagiarism

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Searching Effectively Includes Familiarity with search tools Understanding citing resources Creating a research strategy Identifying useful keywords

Internet Research, Third Edition - Illustrated Searching Effectively Includes Performing basic searches Using multiple keywords Searching with phrases Analyzing search results Citing online resources

42 Searching the Internet Effectively End