1. Searching for Information

2. Young children should not be allowed to carry around mobile phones.
Fact or opinion?
Young children should not be allowed to carry around mobile phones.

3. Number 2 comes after number 1.
Fact or opinion?
Number 2 comes after number 1.

4. In tennis and cricket the umpire relies on video evidence.
Fact or opinion?
In tennis and cricket the umpire relies on video evidence.

5. Wikipedia always gives the correct information and is reliable.
Fact or opinion?
Wikipedia always gives the correct information and is reliable.

6. Fact or opinion?
Excel is a database.

7. Fact or opinion?
Japan is a long way away.

8. You can only create posters in a desktop publishing application.
Fact or opinion?
You can only create posters in a desktop publishing application.

9. Reliability Were any of these statements reliable?
How would you judge their reliability?

10. In this lesson students are learning about:
constructing efficient internet searches
differentiating between fact and opinion
judging the reliability of websites
information required when recording details of sources

11. At the end of this lesson students will be able to:
distinguish between fact and opinion
effectively judge the reliability of a website
use simple and advanced search criteria to locate information on the web
understand the importance of recording their information sources

12. Constructing an efficient internet search

13. Boolean searching
Exact phrases using “”
Advanced search options

14. Searching the internet – finding information and recording sources
Why it is important to know if a source is reliable?

15. How reliable is this website? Ask yourself the following questions:
What does the URL tell you?
Check the domain and country code
(i.e. .gov, .ac, .ed, .org, .co, .com, .sch)
Does the URL make sense?
Does it contain quality information?
Look for related links and additional information
Is information sourced?
Do links work?
Scan the page
Look for links, e.g. About Us, Background
When was it last updated?
What does it say about the author?
Do you trust this information?
Opinions of others?
What do other users say about the site
and its contents?
And finally, does it all add up?
Think about what you have just read, reviewed and looked at
Does it make sense or are there gaps or inconsistencies?
If so, use another source.

16. Recording your sources
It is good practice to record the exact URL of the site/page that you are using in case you need to return to it in the future.
It can also be a requirement when acknowledging work as somebody else’s
Look at Sources Table.doc

17. Task: Complete the SearchTask Worksheet.doc.
You should choose one site from your list of results and decide how reliable it is, giving reasons to support your judgement.

18. And finally
“Research and information gathering is an important element of CAB Activity 1, attracting 10 of the 22 marks available. It is important that students get plenty of opportunities to practise gathering information using a range of sources, discriminating between sources and searching effectively.”