1. Internet Research Third Edition
Unit A
Searching the Internet Effectively

2. 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

3. Understand Internet Search Tools
Internet search tools are services used to find information on the Web
Four types of Internet search tools

4. Understand Internet Search Tools
Each is better for different searches
No search tool searches the entire Web

5. Understand Internet Search Tools
Four types of search tools:
search engines
metasearch engines
subject guides
specialized search tools

6. Understand Internet Search Tools
Search engines
find Web pages containing keywords entered in a search form index the Web with spiders

7. Terms to Use Keywords Spiders
describe the major concepts of your search topic
Spiders
programs that scan the Web indexing pages for search engines

8. Understand Internet Search Tools
Metasearch engines
simultaneously search keywords in multiple search engines

9. Understand Internet Search Tools
Subject guides
offer hierarchical subject
categories through which
you navigate to specific links

10. Understand Internet Search Tools
Subject guides
broad view of Internet topics
arranged by subject
hierarchical organization
typically handcrafted
professional, academic & commercial

11. Understand Internet Search Tools
Specialized search tools
find Web pages that are
invisible to other search tools
intelligent search agents
query multiple databases simultaneously

12. Terms to Use Deep Web Intelligent search agents
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

13. Creating an Internet Research Strategy
a plan of action to reach
your research goals

14. Creating an Internet Research Strategy
Define topic and identify keywords
Locate needed background information and identify additional keywords
Choose the proper search tool

15. Creating an Internet Research Strategy
Translate the topic into a search query
Perform search
Evaluate results
Refine the search if necessary

16. Terms to Use Search query Search form
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

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

18. Identifying the Right Keywords
Identify Keywords
determine which words will best return the results you need

19. 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
CD screen tour: interpreter converts instructions one instruction at a time

20. Terms to Use Synonyms Stop words words that have similar meanings
words that search tools do not search

21. Performing a Basic Search
Perform a basic search
enter keywords into a search form and search for relevant links

22. 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

23. 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

24. Adding Keywords = common mistake made when searching the Internet
using too few keywords to describe a topic =

25. Adding Keywords = using too few keywords to describe a topic many
irrelevant
results =

26. Clues to Use
Most search engines search according to the order in which you place your keywords
Place your most important keyword first

27. Using Phrases Use phrases Phrase searching
search for two or more words in a particular order
Phrase searching
method of searching to keep your words in the correct order

28. Using Phrases
Most search tools understand you want to search for a phrase when you enclose keywords in quotation marks

29. Using Phrases If you search for: “solar energy” 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”

30. 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”

31. 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”

32. Analyzing Search Results
Analyze search results
understand clues available on a search results page before clicking links

33. 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

34. Terms to Use URL Uniform Resource Locator Algorithms
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

35. Terms to Use Cached page
copy of a Web page on a search engine’s computer

36. Citing Online Resources
Cite Online Resources
use a standardized format to cite the online sources

37. 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

38. Citing Online Resources
Two widely accepted citation formats are
Modern Language Association (MLA)
American Psychological Association (APA)

39. 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

40. Searching Effectively Includes
Familiarity with search tools
Understanding citing resources
Creating a research strategy
Identifying useful keywords

41. Searching Effectively Includes
Performing basic searches
Using multiple keywords
Searching with phrases
Analyzing search results
Citing online resources

42. Searching the Internet Effectively
End