1. Aliya Farheen aliya.farheen@mail.wvu.edu January 15, 2015
Day 2: Tips on Searching Wisely The Scientific Method and Critical Thinking INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT EXCEL
Aliya Farheen
January 15, 2015

2. Searching wisely

3. Finding Information
As you continue in your courses and eventual careers, you’ll find that you frequently will have to find information.
With the resources available through the Internet, it is easier than ever before to find large amounts of information.
This is a double-edged sword: it’s also easy to get buried under too much data.
It’s important to understand that just because the data is available doesn’t mean it is correct.

4. Search Engines: Planning Your Searches
To help find data quickly, plan your searches.
Be specific and use multiple keywords.
If you are searching for German shepherds in West Virginia, you will get better results using the terms German shepherd and West Virginia than if you just searched using the term dogs.
Try searching for different terms and synonyms. If car doesn’t work, try searching for automobile.

5. Search Engines: Fine-Tuning Your TERMS
Use phrases and quotation marks
“Springfield, Illinois” will return pages that reference only Springfield, Illinois with the words in that specific order.
Negative terms
Virus –computer will find pages that mention the word virus but not the word computer.
AND and OR queries
Most search engines automatically insert the word AND between phrases (which is why quotation marks are useful) so there is no need to type it in the search engine. OR is useful for searching for more than one term, such as West Virginia University OR WVU.

6. Search Engines: staying on-target
Google ignores common terms such as where and how, as well as single digits and letters.
It is not case sensitive. Typing aNoThEr pHrAse will return the same results as another phrase.
To search for Roman numerals or a common word, either use quotations or the + sign. “Star Wars I” and Star Wars +I will return about the same results.
Use the site command
football site:wvu.edu will return pages that reference football, but only on WVU servers.

7. Search Engines: Getting Additional Help
Try using Google’s help features.
The search engine’s help page can be found at and from there, more advanced search tips are available.
Most other search engines work similarly to Google.

8. Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free user-edited online encyclopedia at
Advantages
Huge volume of information, often on subjects not well-covered elsewhere
Disadvantages
Can be edited by anyone
Information can be misleading, biased, or just plain wrong.

9. Wikipedia: Evaluating Articles
What’s the tone of the article?
Any tone other than a professional one increases the likelihood that the article is misleading or biased.
When was it last edited?
More recently edited articles are generally more frequently used and more likely to be correct.
Citations and references
More citations and references means the article is more likely to be accurate.
Like any source, there is no guarantee the information is 100% accurate.

10. Wikipedia: How should I use it?
You generally shouldn’t use Wikipedia as a sole source for your writing!
Initial and general information
Wikipedia is great for giving you general background on a subject.
References (at the bottom of the article)
Sources for getting more information.
Also help to verify the information in the Wikipedia article.

11. Google Scholar Where do I find Google Scholar?
What sources is it looking at?
Includes peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts, and other scholarly literature from academic publishers and professional societies, and also from scholarly articles available on the Internet.
If you’re doing technical research or writing papers for your major, Google Scholar is a good place to look for existing work.

12. Google Scholar: how should I use it?
What do I use it for?
Good for finding papers, abstracts, and citations
A great way to search for diverse sources from one place
Provides full-text sources on the web, as well as locates the complete paper in your library
What advantages does it offer?
For each piece that it locates, Google scholar shows the title, other papers that have cited the article, related articles, and library links for electronic and physical papers
Allows you to search by title, author, and category, as well as within specific publications

13. Alternate Help Options for CS101
Google is only one option for finding what you need.
Microsoft Office’s website (office.microsoft.com) includes many useful tools for helping you to use the package’s features.
Check your book, and use any other resources you might have available (not including the person sitting next to you).

14. Library Databases
Visit the WVU Libraries website at
Retrieve peer-reviewed articles in full text
Use the information you find here to look for other sources and articles
Use the full-text databases, such as LexisNexis
These are good for contemporary, straightforward information
Other databases are available at

15. Some things to consider
When researching topics on the web, some things to think about are:
Who is the page’s author? Is the source credible? Sites like will have more accurate information than sites like
How current is the information? Sites that have not been updated since 1998 are less likely to have accurate information.
Search engines are unfiltered and thus return all results. These may include results that aren’t objective or even accurate. Think about the possible biases that could be portrayed and whether the information and data is authentic.
You can double-check your information against multiple sources if you are unsure of their authenticity.

16. The Scientific Method

17. Problem Solving
Problem solving is the process of analyzing and finding solutions for questions that we want to solve.
How do we perform problem solving?
One way is with the scientific method, the process by which scientists, collectively over time, endeavor to construct an accurate representation of the world.

18. Scientific Method 4 major components 1 evaluation step Observation
Hypothesis
Prediction
Experiment
1 evaluation step
Decision

19. Observation
Areas of interest in which one sets out to prove truth or faults.
What kind of observations can you think of?
The average temperature of the earth is rising.
Foreign-made cars have been gaining market share in the United States.
People from the southern US tend to be more tanned than those in the northern part of the US.
Question answer: the average temperature of the earth is rising (global warming example in Supplemental Content), foreign-made cars have been gaining market-share in the US

20. Observation In-Class Example
An example of an observation might be:
You work for a computer manufacturer. The latest model, the X900, is selling very well.
You wish to explore this observation and find out the reason for the strong sales.

21. Hypothesis Suggested explanation of problem or observation
How do we get hypotheses?
From other branches of science
Informed guesses
Random ideas

22. Hypothesis In-Class Example
What hypotheses might explain the sales of the X900?
Looking at marketing data per year, the amount spent on Internet advertising appears to be higher the year this computer was introduced.
Hypothesis: the increased sales were the result of the increase in Internet advertising.
This computer was the first to use the latest graphics card, the Screamer 9200.
Hypothesis: the increased sales were the result of using the latest graphics card.

23. Prediction Formal way to put a hypothesis to the test.
If the hypothesis is true, when x is manipulated, then y should happen.
x is the independent variable: it's the thing changed.
y is the dependent variable: its value depends on x.

24. Prediction In-Class Example
What predictions could you make based on the data we have?
If a greater amount is spent on Internet advertising, computers will sell better.
Using the latest components will increase sales.

25. Experiment Test hypothesis to see if it’s correct.
Lab experiment (grow cultures in petri dish)
Analyze current data using computer applications (Access, Excel)
First hypothesis may not be correct
If so, no problem: go back and change it
May not be possible to completely prove or disprove a hypothesis
Example: Can’t completely prove or disprove whether cell phones cause driving accidents
What do we do in that situation?
Question answer: correlation (in Excel)

26. Experiment In-Class Example
What can we do with our data to test the hypotheses?
Graphics card hypothesis
Run a query on the components table. Group the data by graphics card type. Do the units sold tend to be higher for certain cards?
Export this data into Excel and graph it, with units sold on the y axis, and the component name on the x axis, for each component type. Is there a pattern?
Internet advertising hypothesis
Run different sorts, by each advertising type, then by year. Does there seem to be a pattern?
Export this data into Excel. Graph each expenditure type on the y axis, and the year on the x-axis. Fit a trendline to the data, and forecast it out a few years. Is a pattern visible now?

27. Decision Reject or accept the prediction(s).
If the hypothesis appears correct, you can create a new hypothesis, and begin again.
Would this hypothesis apply to other, similar cases?
If it seems incorrect, reformulate and try again.
Remember correlation doesn’t equal causality!
When the sun rises, the sky gets light. Does sunrise cause a blue sky? Yes!
People who don’t wear seat belts tend to have worse accidents. Does one cause the other? Only partially!
Tall people usually weigh more. Does height cause weight? No!
In each case, though the first and second are related, it’s not necessarily true that one causes the other.

28. Decision In-Class Example
A sharp increase in the percentage of Internet advertising the year the X900 was introduced was the reason for its increase in sales.
Look at other computers introduced that year to get a better idea if this is correlation or causality.
The use of the Screamer 9200 was the reason for the X900’s success.
Again, correlation vs. causality: check out other computers that use the new card to see which one is the case.

29. Critical Thinking

30. Critical Thinking Definitions: The scientific method applied to life.
An attempt at objective judgment so as to determine both merits and faults.
The art of taking charge of your own mind!

31. Non-critical Thinking
Left to our own devices, our thinking often uses rigidity, over-generalization, prejudice, and common fallacies.
Voting a certain way because that's the way your parents did (or didn't!)
Buying a brand new phone because it looked good on the lot.
Copying/pasting in Word using a mouse because that's the way you've always done it.

32. Why use it?
Objectively arriving at a decision (the purpose of critical thinking) has many benefits.
Cheaper (you’ll buy less frivolous/needlessly expensive things)
Healthier (more likely to exercise, spot doctor mistakes)
Better grades (critical thinking = better study habits!)
Higher pay (critical thinking is invaluable in finding and keeping a great job)

33. Critical Thinking in CS101
Is there a faster way to do the task I’m doing than the way I already knew?
Shortcut keys, icons, etc.
How do I use Microsoft Office to answer the critical thinking questions?
Access: sorting/grouping with queries
Excel: graphing, scenarios, PivotTables
PowerPoint: organizing ideas effectively
Word: getting ideas down on paper makes them clearer

34. Critical Thinking in School
When studying, turn section titles into questions, and use that section’s text as a chance to answer that question
If the section is titled “Formatting Spreadsheets in Excel, ask yourself “How do I format spreadsheets?”, and look for the answers as you read.
Do extra review questions at the end of chapters.
At the end of each lecture, take one minute, and answer the following (try this now!)
What’s the most important thing I learned today?
What’s the thing I’m still most confused about?

35. Critical Thinking in Life
When trying to decide whether to buy something
Do I really want/need it?
Can I afford it?
Is it good (healthy, non-dangerous) for me?
When voting
Familiarize yourself with the issues.
Think about the long-term implications of your choice.
At the doctor
Ask questions.
Get a second opinion.

36. Introduction to MICROSOFT EXCEL

37. Spreadsheets
A spreadsheet is an electronic file used to organize related data and perform calculations.
It is the computerized equivalent of a ledger. It’s a grid of rows and columns enabling users to organize data and recalculate the results for cells containing formulas when any data in input cells change.
Better than paper (can erase and modify values easily)
They are used for:
Keeping track of expenses, annual budgets, tracking donations by charitable organizations, for plotting experimental data by Scientists, creating a list of things to do.

38. Worksheets and Workbooks
A worksheet is a spreadsheet that contains formulas, values, text, and visual aids
A workbook is a a collection of related worksheets contained within a single file.

40. Excel Interface

41. Excel Interface

42. Rows, Columns & Cells Rows are identified by numbers
Columns are identified by letters
Cells are the intersection of rows and columns. Each cell has a unique cell address identified by its column letter and then the row number.
For example A1 is the intersection of column A and row 1. The cell reference for this specific cell is A1.

43. Navigation In Worksheets
Keystroke
Used to
Up Arrow
Move up one cell in the same column.
Down Arrow
Move down one cell in the same column.
Left Arrow
Move left one cell in the same row.
Right Arrow
Move right one cell in the same row.
Tab
Page Up
Move the active cell up one screen.
Page Down
Move the active cell down one screen
Home
Move the active cell to column A of current row
Ctrl+Home
Make cell A1 the active cell
Ctrl+End
Moves to the rightmost, lowermost active corner of the worksheet F5
Display the Go To dialog box to enter any cell address

44. Announcement MyITLab is ready for this semester.
Register for the MyITLab. You can follow the instructions at

45. Questions ?