1. Ten Steps to
Better Web Research
Ms. De La O
English 9

2. Our generation “It is very likely that our students’ brains
have physically changed– and are
different from ours – as a result of how they grew up

3. But can they search the Web PHOTO
Their generation

4. The younger generation
Are “digital natives” experts at searching the Web?
Google
Never questioned the reliability of the websites they accessed.
Recognizing good sources
How do you do research?
what do you do next:
Try another search engine
Try different words
How do you know it’s a good source?
What do you check?
author credibility
When it was last published?
Electronic media
Overwhelm youth with information
Skills or experience to evaluate.
“Getting by” with Google.

5. If a search doesn’t give you good results...
What do you do next:
Try another search engine
Try different words
How do you know it’s a good source?
What do you check?
author credibility
When it was last published?

6. WE’RE LOST

7. What do I need in order to research?
Recognizing reliable sources +
consider infinite options
Understanding intellectual property rights
Engaging modern audiences with conclusions
= EFFECTIVE USE OF THE WEB

8. Step 1: Think Before You Search
Define your task
rewrite assignments in their own words.

9. Step 2: Where to Search Databases CSULA library webpage
Use student-friendly tools for organization
e.g. Symbaloo or Diigo.
Ask a librarian or teacher to recommend individual sites.

10. Step 3: Try Several Search Engines
take a“Google Holiday”
meta-search engines (Zuula, yahoo, bing)
SweetSearch
research experts 10

11. Step 4: Dig deep for the best results
Many websites rank high for reasons unrelated to the quality of their content.
“what happened today.” 11

12. Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You
Connectors AND and OR
Quotation marks
.org .edu .gov
“Kennedy" AROUND(10) “moon”
NOTE: both search terms must be in quotes, AROUND must be capitalized, and the number must be in parentheses. 12

13. Step 6: Don’t Believe Everything You Read
Students should think like a detective.
Information is only as good as its source.
No single element determines credibility.
ALWAYS verify critical information with several sources. 13

14. Step 7: Find Primary Sources
“eyewitness accounts”
If you suspect a site may not be the original source of information, look a key phrase.

15. Step 8: Who Published the Article?
Do editors or experts review the information? Is it thorough?
Reputation of author and publishers
Google Scholar
If the site does not provide the name of the publisher and its editors you cannot rely on it.
Be wary of sites containing words like "free/discount/best/your/Web.”
Advertisements
Even if it “looks good or sounds good.” 15

16. Step 9: Why Was the Article Written?
Always ask, “why did the writer write this?”
Is the site trying to sell you something?
Activity #3: whitehouse.gov is not a neutral source for information on US presidents 16

17. Step 10: When was information written or last revised?
Determine when an article was published or last updated.
Use a news search engine, add the current year as a search term, or Advanced Search Options to restrict dates 17