Search Strategies when using Google, Evaluating websites

1. Finding Web Resources Janetta Garton Technology Curriculum Director Willard R-II Schools http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/tech/findeval.htm

2. Search Engine vs Subject Directory Search engine a huge database of web page files assembled by machine. Use when you need timely information have a focused idea and good keywords Subject directories organize sites by subject users choose a subject and browse users drill down to reach a list of resources See the Fusion: Web Resources: Finding, Evaluating, and Organizing workshop web page for a list of educational subject directories

3. Search Engine Strategies

4. Specific Keywords Keywords Precisely describe your search topic. Expect to see on the webpage Do not search with a question Change the question into a query by answering, “What am I looking for?” • Who, what, when, where, why, how • Proper nouns • Where would you find this information?

5. Few words Try to limit your keywords to just 3. • Place the most unique keyword first. • Google will locate only the pages that have ALL your keywords.

6. Use quotation marks for exact phrases proper names: “George Washington” • quotes: “I have a dream” • location: “Springfield MO” • phrase: “All mimsy were the borogoves”

7. Use synonyms and related terms Google returns pages that match variations of your keywords: e-mail, email; child, children; • ~ Tilde operator takes the word immediately following it and searches for both it and its synonyms: ~inexpensive will find pages that contain inexpensive, cheap, affordable, and low cost. • If a keyword has multiple meanings that will cloud your results, don’t use it or qualify it. For example, web would find pages with a spider web, network, fabric, or membrane. • If there is a related word that will cloud your search, use the – operator to exclude the word from your search: mercury element –planet -car

8. Don’t use stop words the, on, where, how, to, a, I do, for, and are, at, be, but, by from, had, have, her, his, in, is, it, not, of • If a keyword is a stop word, add a "+" sign immediately in front of it, include a space between the "+" sign and any other words in your search: Star Wars Episode +I

9. Refine your query using search results Scanning summaries returned by your first search can give you ideas for keyword refinement. • You might notice an evocative phrase that better describes your target. • Google may even offer a suggestion, especially if you have misspelled a word

10. Evaluating Sites

11. Triangulate best way to check the accuracy of information on a webpage is to find the same information in at least 3 different sources, triangulate the data.

12. Look at the URL Personal site? ~ users members people Purchased URL indicates credibility Type of domain? .edu higher ed .gov government .com commercial business .mil U.S. military .net Internet service providers .org non-profit organizations .ca Canada .uk United Kingdom Purpose of site? Inform, facts, data explain persuade, sell, entice share entertain personal a hoax

13. Scan the Perimeter of the Page Authors? Affiliation or Credentials? Contact Information? About page, Contact, Top, Bottom Homepage: Truncate URL back to domain name, removing parts after each / Google the authors Dated? Current enough for your topic? Recently updated?

14. Look for Quality Indicators Links to other resources? Working links to other reputable sites Who links to this page? Google link:URL, for example:link:http://jgarton.edublogs.org Biased viewpoints? Any signs of prejudice, emotional language, facts omitted; reasonable interpretations

15. Assignment

16. When and where was Buffalo Bill born? Specific Keywords : proper name Buffalo Bill; biography, information typically found in a biography Few Words : Buffalo Bill first since it is the most unique Quotation marks : use for the proper name Stop words : where, and, where, was

17. When and where was Buffalo Bill born? William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was born just west of the Mississippi River near LeClaire, Iowa on February 26, 1846.

18. How can I contact one of my US senators? Possible Keywords : Missouri US senator Specific Keywords : Proper noun US, Missouri Few Words : Missouri first since most unique Stop words : how, can, I, of, my

19. How can I contact one of my US senators?

20. Find a recipe for lamb with mint sauce. Possible keywords : “mint sauce” recipe lamb Specific keywords : what=recipe Few words : Mint sauce first since most unique Quotation Marks : Mint sauce in quotes Stop words : a, for, with

21. Find a recipe for lamb with mint sauce.

22. How long did it take the first person to cross the US by car, and in what year was it done? Possible Keywords : first across US drive Specific keywords : US proper noun, how=drive, when=first Few Keywords : first is most unique word Synonyms and related terms : cross is a word with multiple meanings, better choice would be across Stop words : how, it, the, to, by, and, in, what, was, Refine query using search results : a search using car gave a lot of first car information, so drive is a better word, first followed by across instead of first

23. How long did it take the first person to cross the US by car, and in what year was it done? Answer : In 1903, it took 63 days for H. Nelson Jackson to drive an automobile from coast to coast of the United States.

24. What do the eggs of a cardinal look like? Possible Keywords : cardinal eggs -baseball Few Words : cardinal most unique so put first Stop words : what, do, the, of Search engine operators : -baseball

25. What do the eggs of a cardinal look like? Answer : Color: Buffy white with medium brown spots. Size: 22.4-27.9 mm x 16.9-19.6 mm. (0.88-1.1 in x 0.67-0.77 in)

26. What animals are in danger of becoming extinct? Possible keywords : endangered animals list Few words : endangered is the most unique and should be first, Stop words : what, are, in, of Refine query using search results : change danger to endangered, add list since most of the results are articles and campaigns

27. What animals are in danger of becoming extinct?