Smart Searching: Using the Internet to get started researching Your I-Search Topic

Internet Search Tools Search Engines: Search Engines: –Google, Ask GoogleAskGoogleAsk MetaSearch Engines: MetaSearch Engines: –Clusty, Dogpile ClustyDogpileClustyDogpile Directories: Directories: –Yahoo Yahoo

But how do they work? Crawler-based Search Engines Crawler-based Search Engines –Listings are generated automatically using software (spiders) that “crawl” the web and index sites based on words on the web page. Google Google People-powered Directories People-powered Directories –People get paid to evaluate web pages into various categories. Yahoo Yahoo

Solving a Mystery Julia works in downtown Chapel Hill. While on her lunch break one fine spring day, she sees a flash in the sky! She looks up to see a bird about the size of a crow diving at high speed after what looks to be a pigeon. The bird then swoops out of sight. Julia is captivated by the gray and white bird with a crooked black and yellow beak. Julia works in downtown Chapel Hill. While on her lunch break one fine spring day, she sees a flash in the sky! She looks up to see a bird about the size of a crow diving at high speed after what looks to be a pigeon. The bird then swoops out of sight. Julia is captivated by the gray and white bird with a crooked black and yellow beak.

What do already we know? Who/what ? gray and white bird, size of a crow, crooked black and yellow beak Who/what ? gray and white bird, size of a crow, crooked black and yellow beak Where ? downtown buildings, town of Chapel Hill, NC Where ? downtown buildings, town of Chapel Hill, NC When ? Daytime in the Spring When ? Daytime in the Spring How ? Fast-flying, possibly hunting pigeons as prey How ? Fast-flying, possibly hunting pigeons as prey Why ? Never seen it before. Is it migrating? Is it lost? Why ? Never seen it before. Is it migrating? Is it lost?

What do we want to know? I want to know more about a bird I want to know more about a bird –One term: bird I want to know more about a bird that hunts I want to know more about a bird that hunts –Two terms: bird, hunter I want to know what birds that hunt live in the Southeast I want to know what birds that hunt live in the Southeast –Three terms: bird, hunter, Southeast

Start with Nouns BirdCrowBeak Chapel Hill Spring Hunter Pigeon Migration

Think like a Thesaurus Bird that hunts Bird that hunts –Bird of prey –Hawk –Eagle –Owl –Falcon Southeast Southeast –Southern –North Carolina –Chapel Hill

String terms together into phrases and use “quotes” Try these searches in Google:Google bird of prey = 1,810,000 “bird of prey” = 1,130,000 “bird of prey” “North Carolina” = 27,200 “bird of prey” “North Carolina” spring= 16,700

Boolean! AND is the invisible Boolean AND is the invisible Boolean Falcon migrate spring OR gets the most results OR gets the most results Falcon (grey OR gray OR yellow) NOT – eliminates certain words NOT – eliminates certain words Falcon (grey OR gray) “North Carolina” –car –miami –shoe

Search Engine Tricks… Try These: Exact quotes Exact quotes “North Carolina Falconers Guild” “North Carolina Falconers Guild” Nesting Nesting Falcon (grey OR gray OR yellow) Falcon (grey OR gray OR yellow) “North Carolina” (falcon OR falcons) “North Carolina” (falcon OR falcons) Truncation Truncation Hunt* Hunt* Advanced Search Advanced Search Advanced Search Advanced Search In Google, Advanced Search is located right next to the search button.

Evaluating Websites Who is responsible for this info? Who wrote it? Who published it to the Internet? A school? A government agency? What’s their level of expertise? Who is responsible for this info? Who wrote it? Who published it to the Internet? A school? A government agency? What’s their level of expertise? When was the page last updated? When was the page last updated? Try to distinguish between promotion, advertising, and serious content. Try to distinguish between promotion, advertising, and serious content. Who is linking to the page, and what links to other pages does the page itself maintain? Who is linking to the page, and what links to other pages does the page itself maintain?

A Web Address Demystified: "http" means hypertext transfer protocol and refers to the format used to transfer and deal with information "http" means hypertext transfer protocol and refers to the format used to transfer and deal with information "www" stands for World Wide Web and is the general name for the host server that supports text, graphics, sound files, etc. (It is not an essential part of the address, and some sites choose not to use it) "www" stands for World Wide Web and is the general name for the host server that supports text, graphics, sound files, etc. (It is not an essential part of the address, and some sites choose not to use it) “bronxletters" is the domain name, or name of the site. In this case, our school, Bronx Letters. “bronxletters" is the domain name, or name of the site. In this case, our school, Bronx Letters. “org" means that the site belogs to a non-profit organization “org" means that the site belogs to a non-profit organization “pta" is a specific page in the web site “pta" is a specific page in the web site "html" is the file type and, in this case, stands for hypertext mark-up language (that's the language the computer reads) "html" is the file type and, in this case, stands for hypertext mark-up language (that's the language the computer reads)

Website Rankings Rankings are often based on: Rankings are often based on: –Title of the Site When the webpage title contains your search word, the page appears higher in the search engine results When the webpage title contains your search word, the page appears higher in the search engine results –Frequency Number of times a word(s) appears Number of times a word(s) appears –Location/Frequency Number of times the word(s) appear near the top of the page Number of times the word(s) appear near the top of the page

To Wiki or not to Wiki? Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone with access to a computer and the Internet can edit, change. Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone with access to a computer and the Internet can edit, change. Wikipedia Pros: anyone can update Pros: anyone can update Cons: anyone can update Cons: anyone can update Like any encyclopedia, Wikipedia is best used at the beginning of your search to understand the basic facts about your topic. It’s a good first stop, but your research can not end with Wikipedia. Like any encyclopedia, Wikipedia is best used at the beginning of your search to understand the basic facts about your topic. It’s a good first stop, but your research can not end with Wikipedia.

Searching is a process, which means it takes time Before you click on a link from your search results page, notice the title, how your terms are used, and what the web address can tell you about who created the site. Before you click on a link from your search results page, notice the title, how your terms are used, and what the web address can tell you about who created the site. Notice words and phrases found on relevant sites about your same topic and use them to focus your search Notice words and phrases found on relevant sites about your same topic and use them to focus your search In Google, once you find a really useful site, click on the “Similar Pages” link to see other pages that are like the one you found useful. In Google, once you find a really useful site, click on the “Similar Pages” link to see other pages that are like the one you found useful.

Planning for the End: Compiling Works Cited Compile as you go!!! Compile as you go!!! Save often!!! Save often!!! Cut and paste web addresses and text into a Word document to keep track of where you’re finding your information Cut and paste web addresses and text into a Word document to keep track of where you’re finding your information Cut and past web addresses and text into an addressed to yourself and click send Cut and past web addresses and text into an addressed to yourself and click send

Thanks for your attention! Questions ???