1. Get the Most Out of Internet Searching
Vancouver Public Library

2. Learning Opportunities @ VPL!
Digital Essentials: vpl.ca/program/digital-essentials

3. Learning Opportunities @ VPL!
Lynda.com: vpl.ca/lynda
VPL Research Guides: guides.vpl.ca

4. Learning Opportunities @ VPL!
We are here to help!

5. Today we will learn to… Use a search engine Perform advanced searching
Evaluate search results
Evaluate websites

7. How search works
How do search engines keep track of all the webpages on the World Wide Web?
Why do some pages get ranked higher in your search results?
How might some unreliable sources end up in your search results?

9. Browser review

10. Searching with Google

11. Searching with Google Keywords
Advanced strategies, like “quotes” and –minus
Autocomplete (and Fast Facts)
Other views, like Images, Videos
Most of these features apply to other search engines as well

12. Fast Facts Choose one to search: When will the sun set in Vancouver?
What is 79x56?
How many sticks is one cup of butter?

13. Keywords Identify the main concepts of your topic
Think about the language that will be used in the answer
Use nouns and verbs
Use at least 3 words
Spell out abbreviations
Try multiple times with variations, synonyms
Capitalisation doesn’t matter, and the search engine will try to correct your spelling

14. More strategies Search for an exact match
Put a word or phrase inside quotes.
Ex: “coble boat”
Search for wildcards or unknown words
Put a * in your word or phrase where you want to leave a placeholder.
Ex: "largest * in the world“
Exclude words from your search
Put - in front of a word you want to leave out.
Ex: jaguar speed –car
Source: Google Search Help

15. Practice
Who starred opposite Clark Cable in the 1934 American romantic comedy It Happened One Night?
What are some of the most common questions asked at job interviews?
What are some events that VPL has scheduled for next month?

16. Collecting your data

17. Collecting your data Pros Auto-completes your searches
Localized results
Tries to guess the best result for you
Cons
Do you trust them with this information?
Might limit results (censorship?)
Advertises to you with top results

18. Alternate search engines

19. How to Read a Webpage

20. Image from Deakin University

22. Wikipedia
Currency: Often the most current source for biographical information
Relevance: Huge array of articles on people, events, ideas etc. There will likely be something relevant to your query!
Authority: Varies hugely. Anyone can edit Wikipedia, and experts often do, but people without “credentials” often contribute substantially
Accuracy: 80-96% accurate, depending on who you ask
Purpose: Policies prevent advertising or conflict of interest from editors; Wikipedia is non-profit

23. Did we learn to…? Use a search engine Perform advanced searching
Evaluate search results
Evaluate websites

24. We want your feedback!
Please fill out an evaluation form to tell us what you thought of this class and help us improve our programs.
Online:
Thank you!