HMMMMMM….. So Many Resources, So Little Time! By: Mrs. Papiano

Objectives: To become efficient and effective users of information To practice using database resources To be able to cite your work How many of you have other activities to do or people you want to be with after school? Part of my job, besides providing you with great books to read, is to show you how to search for info easily and in a smart way. This way you can spend more time having fun than working too hard – How many people would rather work SMARTER not HARDER? That’s called being EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE USERS OF INFORMATION (slide) (then talk about OBJECTIVES #2 and #3)

Websites are always better sources of information than books. True or False: Websites are always better sources of information than books.

It's ok to be confused! There are billions of websites out there. Sometimes it’s very hard to tell trash from treasure.

Who Owns the World Wide Web/Internet? Who gives permission to individuals who want to create a website? Who approves the info posted on a website? What is the punishment for posting inaccurate information on a website?

It’s your job as a researcher to look for QUALITY! Did You Know… …that anyone can publish anything on the web! It’s your job as a researcher to look for QUALITY!

Domains can tell you a lot about a website….. .….so don’t forget to look at the domain before you click on the link. …..However, you STILL have to be SKEPTICAL!!

URL CLUES……. .biz .gov .org .store .mil .com .K12 .museum .net .edu .geocities .aol %, ~, =, Users Members, info

Remember the 5 W's: Who wrote the pages and are they an expert in the field? (Authority and Credibility) What is the purpose of the site? (Objectivity and Reliability) Where does the information come from? (Accuracy) When was the site created, updated, or last worked on? (Currency) Why is the information valuable? (Relevance)

Remember, the FREE web is NOT your only choice! Did you use print sources? Did you search subscription databases? Did you check with your teacher or librarian for advice? Compare the number of results in each search Where are the results you would use from – what source? Are the sources reliable? Who wrote them? Are the articles written by an expert and credible? Are they current? Is it easy to cite? Is it written on your reading level? Relevant to your needs for your research?

So, why should we care about all of this?

There are bigger questions in life! You will be using information to make important decisions!

How can I control my asthma? How do I back up my cell phone? Which four wheeler should I buy? What is Alzheimer’s Disease? Which dog food is best for my new puppy? How can I control my asthma?

Website Evaluation is IMPORTANT! LEARN TO BE FUSSY!

What is the INVISIBLE WEB? …..Ask if anyone has ever searched on Altavista, Google, Bing or Yahoo…..That’s the free web. Anything that cannot be accessed in those searches is considered the invisible web. Magazine subscriptions, newspaper subscriptions, expensive reference books, encyclopedias, literary criticism, etc are subject to copyright and cannot be accessed on the free web. People or institutions pay for databases so that members have access to this info. There is a vast amount of information that search engines and directories don’t have direct access to, like databases. Software spiders and crawlers cannot access these indexes like they can on the visible web. Most times you need to pay for the databases or need a username or password to use them. (slide)

What are DATABASES? Articles of information put together by an educational company in an organized way so that the information can be accessed easily Usually they are paid subscriptions Usually you need a login to access them

Why use databases? Paid for by the district or NJ state library – free to you! Can access them from school or home for free Credible information – written by experts Reliable and accurate info! Current Relevant to middle school Easy to search and use Not as many results – not as overwhelming! What are DATABASES? Articles of info put together by a company in an organized way so that the info can be accessed easily In our case, an educational company Give out brochures and show login info WHY USE DATABASES? Let’s find out: We’re going to go on the invisible web now. (Show how to access from Media Center website) Get them on FACTS ON FILE Science Online. Show them bottom of page: about us, contact info, SOURCES (so they can see all of the great encyclopedias included in the Sci Online database). Then, at top of page, MENDELEEV. Then open a new tab and GOOGLE and type in new search term. Tell them to look through each results list as well as individual links and report back and pros and cons (positives and negatives) about each of the results lists.

Not All SOURCES Are Created Equal!

Resources Used for the Creation of this PowerPoint: Pam Berger Workshop: 21st Century Strategies for Strengthening your School Library Program The Good, the Bad and the Ugly or, Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources from New Mexico State University http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html Kathy Schrock’s ABC’s of Website Evaluation http://schrockguide.org/abceval/ Joyce Valenza’s PowerPoint, parts with written permission Joyce Valenza’s webpage on titled A WebQuest about Evaluating Websites http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/evalwebstu.html