Session 4: Effectively Searching the Internet

Focusing Questions Which search engines should I use? Which search strategies should I use: Boolean operators? Keywords? Phrases in quotes?

Framing Our Work All kids love to use computers, but “contrary to popular belief, kids are easily bored and frustrated by the Web and are less adept at online searches than adults.” (SLJ, 1/1/2006)

Framing Our Work (cont’d) Today we’re going to to make online searching simple by keeping the focus on search strategies.

Instruction

Teaching The best way to search is to try different methods: Try the same search terms using two different search engines. Try two different search strategies using the same search engine.

SO MANY SEARCH ENGINES! WHY USE MORE THAN ONE?

NOT ALL SEARCH ENGINES ARE ALIKE

Google v. Yahoo

Ranking.Thumbshots.com

CHOOSE YOUR SEARCH STRATEGY Keywords Key phrases with quotes Phrase as a partial answer to your question Use Boolean operators (AND OR NOT)

SEARCHING WITHOUT QUOTES. First and third results are irrelevant.

SEARCHING WITH QUOTES is smarter. First three results are exactly what we want.

Write your question as a partial answer Phrase your search in the form of a partial answer to your question. For the question: What games did Ancient Egyptian children play?… The search phrase would be: “Ancient Egyptian children used to play” Adapted from Pogue, David. “Google Search Tips.” Newsletter. David Pogue’s: Meet the Googlers.

BOOLEAN WHAT ? USE BOOLEAN LOGIC

BOOLEAN LOGIC Boole, George ( ) English mathematician whose important work was in the separation of symbols from operations and creation of mathematical logic.

BOOLEAN OPERATORS Boolean operators consist of three logical terms: AND OR NOT They help you refine your search so you can find exactly what you want quickly. They must always be ALL CAPS.

How do I use them?

Still confused ? Let’s play with Boolean terms Here are some examples

BOOLEAN OPERATORS: AND Search TermsResults poverty783,447 crime2,962,165 poverty AND crime1,677 povertycrimep + c

BOOLEAN OPERATORS: AND Search TermsResults poverty783,447 crime2,962,165 poverty AND crime1,677 poverty AND crime AND gender 76 povertycrime gender p+c+g

BOOLEAN OPERATORS: OR Search TermsResults hawks22,600,000 eagles57,000,000 Hawks OR eagles73,500,000 hawkseagles

BOOLEAN OPERATORS: OR Search TermsResults hawks22,600,000 eagles57,000,000 hawks OR eagles73,500,000 hawks OR eagles OR “birds of prey” 79,700,000 HAWKSEAGLES BIRDS OF PREY

BOOLEAN OPERATORS: NOT Search TermsResults artists339,000,000 painters16,400,000 painters NOT artists9,510,000 artistspainters

BOOLEAN OPERATORS AND GOOGLE Instead of the word AND, use +(search term) Instead of the word NOT, use -(search term) “ video games” +children apple –computer“Martin Luther” –King There are NO spaces between the plus or minus signs and the search word

Always use more than one search engine!

Steps for Smart Searching Write out your question. Circle key words or key phrases. Use quotes if necessary Phrase your question as a partial answer. Sketch Boolean operator search ideas. Now you try. What gives you the best results? Modify your search as you go.

Guided Practice Let’s use the Steps for Smart Searching to devise a search strategy for the question: “What effects does breathing air pollution have on your health?”

Guided Practice What effects does breathing air pollution have on your health? Key words or key phrases: In the form of a partial answer:

What Boolean operators will we use? Let’s try this in AltaVista.AltaVista. Guided Practice

Let’s modify our search in AltaVista and see what happens. Guided Practice

Let’s see what happens when we try other search engines. YahooYahoo AlltheWeb Ask.com GoogleVivisimo ClustyAlltheWebAsk.com GoogleVivisimoClusty Guided Practice

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

Work Time

Getting Started Today and everyday, I want you to think about your search strategy, use more than one search engine, and modify your search as you go.

Work Time We will be working in pairs. Choose a topic from the NYC Science Scope and Sequence.NYC Science Scope and Sequence From that topic, think of a question you wish to search.

Work Time Plan your search strategy using the Search Strategy worksheet. Remember to try your search using two different search engines. Don’t forget to record your results and modifications.

Share

Today we learned to think and reflect while we search and we tried new ways of searching. Now we will look at how a few of you modified your searches. This is one of the most important steps. Share

How search strategies changed: Share

New York City Curriculum Resources Information Fluency Continuum Phase: Investigate p. 18 Indicator: uses a variety of search engines to do advanced searching New York City Performance Standards Applied Learning Standard 3a: Gather information to assist in completing project work Applied Learning Standard 3b: Use information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting information Standards

Technology Standards ISTE National Educational Technology Standard (NETS) Standard 5: Technology Research tools: -- Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources -- Students use evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. Standards

Evaluations Please go to Survey Monkey to fill out the evaluation for today’s sessions.Survey Monkey Thank you