1. Wading Through the Web Conducting Quality Research on the Internet

2. Wading Through the Web 1. Different Types of Search Engines 2. How to Search on the Internet This presentation will teach you about

3. Wading Through the Web InternetBooks/Text Anyone can publish a Web page No one checks to see if the information is true or false There are millions of places to look for information Using the internet is much quicker You can narrow down what you’re looking for more easily The internet uses search engines Both provide sources of information Both are viewed by millions of people each day A book has to be published by a publishing company Editors check and verify the information Looking for a book can be more time consuming You have to visit a library The library uses the Dewey Decimal System

4. Wading Through the Web When might using the internet be better than using a traditional text? Topics that are contemporary (modern topics) – The Internet has more up-to-date information on current events. Topics that are controversial – The Internet can give you a lot of different opinions on one topic. It can help you research a topic from different perspectives.

5. Topic 1: Different Types of Search Engines

6. Wading Through the Web Different Types of Search Engines  A Search Engine allows you to search the Internet for information. Some of the more popular search engines are Google, Yahoo!, or MSN.  However, there are lots of other excellent search engines on the Internet that you may never have heard of.

7. Wading Through the Web Different Types of Search Engines  Regular Search Engines vs. Meta Search Engines  A regular search engine, like Google,Yahoo! Or Bing, searches the internet based on a given search term.  For example, typing “Rosie the Riveter” into Google will give you 790,000 “hits” or sites to visit for information.  Type the same term into Yahoo!, and you come up with 1,880,000 hits.  Complete the same search using Bing, and you get 1,110,000 hits.

8. Wading Through the Web Different Types of Search Engines  Why do Google, Yahoo!, and Bing display different sites for the same word?  This is because of the way the engine searches.  They all use different search methods. While many of the sites they show you are the same, some are going to be different.  A meta search engine can streamline your search because it has the ability to search several search engines at once.

9. Wading Through the Web Meta Search Engines  Meta Search Engines: o IXQuick.com is a meta search engine that searches over ten of the best search engines. o Dogpile.com is another meta search engine that searches multiple search engines at once. o Mamma.com searches multiple search engines and generates results from the web, news, images, and videos. o iBoogie.com breaks the results of multiple search engines into sub-topics.

10. Mamma Example Meta Search Engines

11. iBoogie Example Meta Search Engines

12. Wading Through the Web Different Search Options Other Helpful Resources ipl.org is a subject directory of web sites verified by professionals. NCWiseowl. org is a database that contains magazine and newspaper articles and books, among many others. Much of the information on here is “invisible” to basic search engines. The password is wiseowl15. NCLive.org is a similar database paid for by Cabarrus County Public Libraries. Access is free with a library card. You card number is the password.

13. Wading Through the Web  Google Scholar will give you more academic articles on the topic. It will also give you results that you are unlikely to find on Google.  Use the links on my web page. I put them there for a reason!  Online encyclopedias are also a great resource for research.  Encyclopedia Britannica – www.britannica.comwww.britannica.com  Encarta – www.encarta.msn.comwww.encarta.msn.com Different Search Options

14. Results from EBSCO through NCWiseowl

15. Wading Through the Web  Just as there are some great sites to use in research, there are also sites that have not yet gained credibility. These sites should NOT be used in your paper:  Wikipedia  About.com  Yahoo Answers Web sites that lack credibility

16. Topic 2: How to Search on the Internet

17. Wading Through the Web 2. How to Search on the Internet  Now that you have looked at different types of search engines, you need to learn how to make the most of your search:  Most search engines have something called an Advanced Search. An advanced search allows you to be more specific about what type of information you are looking for.  When you visit a search engine, the Advanced Search page is a great place to start.

18. Wading Through the Web 2. How to Search on the Internet “Smarter” Searching on the Internet  Most internet search engines also allow you to use a set of words or symbols to narrow your search. This is where your keywords come in. You will use your topic and a keyword with a Boolean operator:  AND – use this word when you want to find two words together. The plus (+) symbol will do the same. For example “Rosie the Riveter AND propaganda”  OR – use this when you can accept a couple of words. For example, “Rosie the Riveter OR icon”  COLON : You can use the colon to specify what kind of site or document you’re searching for. For example, “Rosie the Riveter site:org” will limit the results to just.org web sites.

19. Wading Through the Web  Before you decide to use a site as a source, you need to do a quick evaluation. Things that detract from a site’s value include:  Spelling or grammar errors  Unusual, bright, or a mixture of colors  A lot of ads  Dancing/blinking icons  Dead links  Obvious bias How to search on the internet

20. Wading Through the Web 2. How to Search on the Internet How can you tell if an internet site is reliable? REMEMBER: Anyone can post information on the internet! Make sure the information you are using comes from a person or organization that can be trusted. Look for author information, publisher, publishing date. The more information you can find, the more likely the web site is credible. It is okay if you cannot find all of those things, IF the site proves itself to be credible in other ways. The point is, be selective. There are literally millions of possibilities. The first one you find might not be the best one.

21. Wading Through the Web 2. How to Search on the Internet Dupe Detector: A checklist to help surfers begin determining if information found on a website is true or not* Website:TrustworthyQuestionable 1.Do large companies you know advertise on the site?Yes □ No □ 2.Are there any ‘dead links’, or links to ‘moved pages’?No □ Yes □ 3.Do the images support the stated facts?Yes □ No □ 4.Is the site hosted by a credible provider and reside in a ‘trustworthy’ domain.Yes □ No □ 5. Are there links and references to other websites, resources and experts that corroborate this information? Yes □ No □ 6.Is the resource available in another format?Yes □ No □ 7.Do the site’s authors have other publications with credible sites and publishers?Yes □ No □ 8. Are the site’s authors experts in the subject? (Do they have any credentials or experience around the topic?) Yes □ No □ 9.Is contact information provided and does the place/e-mail exist and work?Yes □ No □ 10. Does the site present highly biased visuals (e.g. racist statements, derogatory remarks, and emotional language)? No □ Yes □ 11.Is the site professional (grammar and typing errors are not present or very minimal)?Yes □ No □ Totals**: Available at: http://www.lerc.educ.ubc.ca/LERC/outreach/lomcira2006/lomcirahandoutapril06.dochttp://www.lerc.educ.ubc.ca/LERC/outreach/lomcira2006/lomcirahandoutapril06.doc