Internet Searching Strategies/Techniques for Latin Teachers: A Guide to Finding What You Want on the Internet Presented by: Kate Lucia and Allan Collins

What is a Search Engine? According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a search engine is: "1. a software program that searches a database and gathers and reports information that contains or is related to specified terms, 2. a website whose primary function is providing a search engine for gathering and reporting information available on the Internet or a portion of the Internet" --

Meaning…. It is a computer program that matches your search terms to WebPages or documents that are available in the Internet. It is a computer program that matches your search terms to WebPages or documents that are available in the Internet. Examples: Examples:

Meta-Search Engines Meta-search engines: Meta-search engines: "In a meta-search engine, you submit keywords in its search box, and it transmits your search simultaneously to several individual search engines and their databases of web pages. Within a few seconds, you get back several results from all the search engines queried In other words, a meta-search engine searches other search engines for results for your query. Examples: Links for more information about Meta- Search Engines: earchint.html moresearch.html

Keywords Keywords: According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a keyword is: Keywords: According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a keyword is: "a descriptive word; a word used as a reference point for finding other words or information" In other words, they are the words that you want the search engine to look for in a document. In other words, they are the words that you want the search engine to look for in a document.

Strategies Searching Strategies: Searching Strategies: When searching using a search engine or a meta-search engine, using keywords and search terms is the easiest way to search. Here are some strategies that will help you to be successful in your searching: When searching using a search engine or a meta-search engine, using keywords and search terms is the easiest way to search. Here are some strategies that will help you to be successful in your searching: Use the most obvious terms for your search. For example, if you want to find facts about Roman gods, use "Roman gods" as your search terms. Use the most obvious terms for your search. For example, if you want to find facts about Roman gods, use "Roman gods" as your search terms. Try not be too general. If you want to find facts about Roman gods, don't use "Romans" as your search terms. Add "gods" to make it specific enough. Try not be too general. If you want to find facts about Roman gods, don't use "Romans" as your search terms. Add "gods" to make it specific enough. If you want very specific information, try the specific terms first. If you aren't successful, try making the search terms broader. For example, if "Roman dinners" isn't successful, try "Roman dining". If you want very specific information, try the specific terms first. If you aren't successful, try making the search terms broader. For example, if "Roman dinners" isn't successful, try "Roman dining". If you don't get the results that you want, try a different search engine or meta- search engine. They don't all search the same sites and databases. If you don't get the results that you want, try a different search engine or meta- search engine. They don't all search the same sites and databases.

Advanced Techniques, a.k.a. Librarians Tricks of the Trade When using search engines, use the Advanced Search feature to cut down on the number of hits that you get. ( ) When using search engines, use the Advanced Search feature to cut down on the number of hits that you get. ( ) If you want a picture or image, click on the Images tab to search pictures only ( If you want a picture or image, click on the Images tab to search pictures only ( Use to surround phrases so that the search engine searches for those exact phrases, otherwise the engine will search for the words individually Use to surround phrases so that the search engine searches for those exact phrases, otherwise the engine will search for the words individually Most search engines have stop words like a,an,the, and, or. Use a + or – symbol to force the engine to include those words in your search. Most search engines have stop words like a,an,the, and, or. Use a + or – symbol to force the engine to include those words in your search. Remember that search engines and meta-search engines search for keywords, not ideas. If the words you enter arent in the page/site you wont get the results you want. Remember that search engines and meta-search engines search for keywords, not ideas. If the words you enter arent in the page/site you wont get the results you want. Play with several search engines to decide which one is best for you. Play with several search engines to decide which one is best for you. More search tips: More search tips:

A Closer Look… Here is a closer look at some popular search engines: Here is a closer look at some popular search engines: Google Google Google Yahoo Yahoo Yahoo Altavista Altavista Altavista Alltheweb Alltheweb Alltheweb

Foreign Language Teaching Sites/Resources FL Teach: Foreign Language Teaching Forum from SUNY Cortland FL Teach: Foreign Language Teaching Forum from SUNY Cortland Instant Access: The Foreign Language Teachers Guide to Learning Disabilities Instant Access: The Foreign Language Teachers Guide to Learning Disabilities Foreign Language Lesson Plans and Resources Foreign Language Lesson Plans and Resources Education Worlds Foreign Language Center Education Worlds Foreign Language Center panish.shtml Education Worlds Spanish Page panish.shtml Education Worlds Spanish Page panish.shtml panish.shtml ench.shtml Education Worlds French Page ench.shtml Education Worlds French Page ench.shtml ench.shtml

Foreign Language Teaching Sites/Resources (continued…) Education Worlds Latin Page Education Worlds Latin Page Education Indexs Language Resources Education Indexs Language Resources Hot Internet Sites ¡en Español! An Internet Hotlist on Spanish Resources Hot Internet Sites ¡en Español! An Internet Hotlist on Spanish Resources Ressources en français langue seconde Resources for Students and Teachers of French as a Second Language Ressources en français langue seconde Resources for Students and Teachers of French as a Second Language French Language Resources (careful…lots of pop-ups!) French Language Resources (careful…lots of pop-ups!) Discovery School.coms Kathy Schrock Guide for Educators Discovery School.coms Kathy Schrock Guide for Educators Academic Info Foreign Language Study Academic Info Foreign Language Study

Foreign Language Teaching Sites/Resources (continued…again) ERIC/CLL Resource Guides Online Internet Resources for Foreign Language Teachers by Kathleen Marcos, ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics ERIC/CLL Resource Guides Online Internet Resources for Foreign Language Teachers by Kathleen Marcos, ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics ml TRIO ThinkQuest Reference: Foreign Language and Travel ml TRIO ThinkQuest Reference: Foreign Language and Travel ml ml EduHounds references for Latin EduHounds references for Latin BJ Pinchbecks Homework Helper BJ Pinchbecks Homework Helper from Kentucky Educational Television from Kentucky Educational Television University of Denver University of Denver

The Invisible Web The Invisible (Hidden) Web is comprised of sites, databases, clearinghouses, digital libraries, and other information that search engines dont see The Invisible (Hidden) Web is comprised of sites, databases, clearinghouses, digital libraries, and other information that search engines dont see Some Invisible Web resources are: Some Invisible Web resources are: Explanation of the invisible web and links to invisible web sites from Univ. of Berkeley Explanation of the invisible web and links to invisible web sites from Univ. of Berkeley

Invisible Web Databases (samples) Taken from AnimalSearch ( - Database for family-safe animal-related sites. AnimalSearch ( - Database for family-safe animal-related sites. AnimalSearch ERIC ( - AskERIC contains the free, Web-based version of the ERIC Database, the world's largest source of education information, with more than 1 million abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice. ERIC ( - AskERIC contains the free, Web-based version of the ERIC Database, the world's largest source of education information, with more than 1 million abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice. ERIC NatureServe Explorer ( - Authoritative conservation info. on 50,000+ plants, animals, & ecological communities" in USA & Canada. NatureServe Explorer ( - Authoritative conservation info. on 50,000+ plants, animals, & ecological communities" in USA & Canada. NatureServe Explorer NatureServe Explorer Nuclear Explosions Database ( - Australian Geological Survey Organisation database of nuclear explosions (location, time, & size) around the world since Nuclear Explosions Database ( - Australian Geological Survey Organisation database of nuclear explosions (location, time, & size) around the world since Nuclear Explosions Database Nuclear Explosions Database On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences ( - "Type in a series of numbers and this database will complete the sequence and provide the sequence name, along with its mathematical formula, structure, references, and links." On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences ( - "Type in a series of numbers and this database will complete the sequence and provide the sequence name, along with its mathematical formula, structure, references, and links." On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences PubMed ( - PubMed provides access to over 12 million MEDLINE citations, including links to sites providing full text articles & related resources. You will also want to explore PubMed Central, an e-archive of full text articles in life sciences journal literature, offering unrestricted access to its contents. PubMed ( - PubMed provides access to over 12 million MEDLINE citations, including links to sites providing full text articles & related resources. You will also want to explore PubMed Central, an e-archive of full text articles in life sciences journal literature, offering unrestricted access to its contents. PubMed FindArticles.com ( - FindArticles.com is a free, searchable Web archive of almost 500 published magazine and journal titles, 1998 to present. It provides "articles that can be read in their entirety and printed at no cost." FindArticles.com ( - FindArticles.com is a free, searchable Web archive of almost 500 published magazine and journal titles, 1998 to present. It provides "articles that can be read in their entirety and printed at no cost." FindArticles.com

Results: Points to Consider When you get results from your search: When you get results from your search: Consider Precision v. Recall Consider Precision v. Recall Recall is the amount of relevant documents out of all the possible documents Recall is the amount of relevant documents out of all the possible documents Precision is the relevant documents in retrieved set out of all the documents in a retrieved set Precision is the relevant documents in retrieved set out of all the documents in a retrieved set When recall is high, precision is low When recall is high, precision is low When precision is high, recall is low When precision is high, recall is low Decide which is more important for your search need Decide which is more important for your search need Do you need a lot of information or a few highly relevant items? Do you need a lot of information or a few highly relevant items?

Results: More Considerations When you get your results, also think about: When you get your results, also think about: Authority: Who wrote the site? What are their credentials? URLs ending in.gov,.edu,.mil,.org tend to be more reliable than.com (you can even search that way on Googles Advanced Search page Google ) Authority: Who wrote the site? What are their credentials? URLs ending in.gov,.edu,.mil,.org tend to be more reliable than.com (you can even search that way on Googles Advanced Search page Google )Google Remember that ANYONE can put information on the Internet! Be careful! Remember that ANYONE can put information on the Internet! Be careful! Currency: How up-to-date is the information? Check to see if you can tell when the last time the site was updated. Currency: How up-to-date is the information? Check to see if you can tell when the last time the site was updated.

Conclusion Information is easy to find on the Internet and World Wide Web if you know how to find it! Try some of these tips and techniques and see what you can do!!!