1. Internet Research What’s the big deal? Can’t I just find everything on Google?

2. Yes and No You can find a lot of things on Google. BUT… –Who wants to scroll through pages and pages of results that may have nothing to do with your topic/question? –Who wants to run the risk of finding false or unreliable information?

3. So What Do I Do Instead? 1.Use online research databases. 2.Use other Internet search tools such as: Subject directories Meta search engines Other search engines (not just Google) 3.Learn how to use keywords and phrases to narrow down your search results. 4.Evaluate the websites and information that you find on the Internet.

4. What is an Online Research Database? It’s a collection of good, reliable sources of information that can be accessed through the Internet. It’s like going to an actual library and looking for scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, and reference books, but someone has scanned all of these items and put them in one place…and you can access them from your computer.

5. Where Can I Find Online Research Databases? Not on Google! Only through libraries. –K-12 school libraries and college/university libraries have free access to many online research databases through the State Library of Ohio. K-12 can be accessed either from your school library’s website or at www.infohio.org.www.infohio.org College/university can be accessed from your school library’s website or at www.ohiolink.edu.www.ohiolink.edu – The Cincinnati Public library has access to even more online research databases: Go to their home page, click on “Research and Homework,” then click on “Research Databases” or go directly to: http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/resources/research.asp http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/resources/research.asp

6. What is a Subject Directory? It didn’t take people long to figure out that there was too much information on the Internet. Subject directories attempt to organize information on the Internet into subjects, groups, or categories.

7. Subject Directories Librarians’ Internet Index Internet Public Library About Yahoo Subject Directory Google Subject Directory Infomine Academic Info Cincinnati Public Library Sites by Subject

8. What is a Meta Search Engine? Meta search engines search many different search engines and come up with a huge list of results. I like to call them “Mega” search engines because you’re doing one-stop searching. It’s like going to a mall to get all of your shopping done in one place rather than driving all over the city to specialty shops.

9. Meta Search Engines Dogpile Ithaki Ixquick Surfwax Kartoo (for visual learners)Kartoo Vivisimo (clustered results)Vivisimo

10. Why Use Other Search Engines? Less than half the searchable Web is fully searchable in Google. Getting a second opinion is often worth your time.

11. Other Search Engines Ask All the Web Altavista Yahoo Google Scholar (although many of the articles require a subscription or a fee)Google Scholar

12. How Do I Get Better Search Results? Try to think of the best 2 or 3 keywords or phrases that will sum up what you want to know. Brainstorm synonyms. Put quotation marks around words or phrases that need to stay together. Use Boolean terms (and, not, or) to narrow or expand your search. –For example: use “Bengal tigers” NOT football for information about the animals but not the team.

13. Why Do We Need to Evaluate Information on the Internet? Who can publish a website? –ANYBODY! Do they have to be experts who have gone to school and have PhDs? –NO! Can anyone with access to a computer publish whatever they want, whether it’s true, false, or purposely misleading? –YES!

14. How Can We Evaluate Information on the Internet? Source –What are the author’s credentials/qualifications? Is there a bias? What was the purpose for making the website? –What is the domain of the website?.com = commercial site.gov = government.net = networked service provider.org = organization, often non-profit.mil = military.edu = education (K-12 as well as colleges/universities) Accuracy of the Content –Are there spelling/grammar errors? Can facts be verified with another source? Currency –When was the website created and when was it last updated? Support –Does the author cite his/her sources in a bibliography?

15. Can I Use Wikipedia? No, not for research. Although it claims to be a type of encyclopedia, anybody can edit the web pages, making it an unreliable source of information. Most colleges and universities (and many high schools) do NOT allow students to use Wikipedia for research.

16. Can I Copy and Paste? No. That’s called plagiarism, and it is wrong, wrong, wrong. –Colleges and universities (and many high schools) have very strict policies about people who plagiarize. Most of the time it will get you expelled. It is easy to copy and paste information you find on the Internet, but don’t do it. –Learn how to summarize, paraphrase, and use quotations properly, and come up with something you can be proud of.summarize, paraphrase, and use quotations

17. Speaking of Plagiarism Always cite your sources. Internet resources (both online databases and websites) have their own special rules when it comes to citing them in bibliographies. Find out if your teacher prefers MLA or APA style and then try to figure out the special rules. Here are some style sheets that I developed for quick and easy use: MLA APAMLAAPA

18. Navigating the Internet Good luck! With these tips and tools, as well as some critical thinking, you should have success when researching on the Internet. This presentation will be available online on West High’s library website: http://uhs- wh.cps-k12.org/WestHigh2/index.htm. Click on the “Research” tab and check it out!http://uhs- wh.cps-k12.org/WestHigh2/index.htm Prepared and presented by Lara Walker, Library Media Specialist, Western Hills High School, Cincinnati, OH 45238. All rights reserved © 2007.