1. Rogers L. Smith Jr.
American InterContinental University

3.  The beginning of any quest for knowledge and
information begins with a simple step. In order
to know how or where to find the information,
a determination needs to be made as to what
information is actually being searched for. The
journey can only begin when there is a clear
picture drawn of it objective. It is extremely
difficult to find something when you don’t
know what it is that your searching for. Once
this has been accomplished, there are a few
steps to take to ensure that your quest follows
the right path.

4.  The search engine itself will prove to be one of the most
important tools you will use. Most search engines are
designed to scan every word in articles on the internet. Once
it finds the keyword that you chose to search for, it returns
those entries as matches to the search. In order to narrow the
search, you should consider using more than one keyword
to conduct the search (Southern Oregon University, 2012).
Another method to narrow the search results would be to
use quotation marks around a sentence or phrase. This tells
the search engine to search for specific wording in the
articles to be searched (SOU, 2012). Know that some search
engines have options for advanced searches. These functions
also. In order to have the best sources for gathering
information it is recommended to utilize more than one
search engine if possible (SOU, 2012).

5.  If you haven’t found
what you are looking
for within the first 20
– 50 articles, modify
search criteria
(SOU, 2012

7.  Primary sources are those that are created by
someone with first hand experience on the
topic (Library of Congress, n.d.).
 Information can also be in the form of an
autobiography, memoirs, or oral history
recorded and documented at a later date (Yale,
2008).

9.  Websites are more fluid than printed material.
This allows for information to change more
rapidly online. Unfortunately, some of these
changes make the information presented
inaccurate (Pacifici, 2002).
 One way to verify sources is to simply ask your
librarian if possible.

10.  Pacifici (2002) suggest
using a checklist of
questions such as
whether or not the site
is a site that publishes
opinion or
commentary.
 The complete list can
be viewed at
http://www.llrx.com
/features/verifying.ht
m

11.  Just as water can change
shape according to the
shape of its container,
so can information on
the internet.
 Sources that can have
information that
changes is called a fluid
source.
 The best strategy for
fluid sources is to verify
the information through
a source with less
fluidity

12.  An individual can begin to compile
information and operate as its curator by using
tools such as eduClipper, Scoop.It, and Mentor
Mob (Oxnevad, 2012).
 This allows you to control the fluidity of the
content

13.  Library of Congress. (n.d.). Using primary
sources. Retrieved September 9, 2012 from
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarys
ources/
 Oxnevad, S. (2012). 3 free tools to curate
content. Retrieved September 9, 2012 from
http://gettingsmart.com/blog/2012/08/3-
free-cool-tools-curate-content/

14.  Pacifici, S. (2002). Feature – getting it right:
verifying sources on the net. Retrieved September
9, 2012 from
http://www.llrx.com/features/verifying.htm
 Southern Oregon University. (2012). Tips to
effective internet searching. Retrieved Se[tember
9,2012 from
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/searchtips.htm
l
 Yale University. (2008). What are primary
sources?. Retrieved September 9, 2012 from
http://www.yale.edu/collections_collaborative/p
rimarysources/primarysources.html