Internet Research – Illustrated, Fourth Edition Unit A.

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Internet Research – Internet Research – Illustrated, Fourth Illustrated, Fourth

EditionEdition

Unit AUnit A

Internet Research – Illustrated, Fourth Edition

Internet Research:Internet Research: UnitUnit AA

Searching Searching

the Internet the Internet

EffectivelyEffectively

ObjectivesObjectives

Understand Internet search toolsCreate an Internet research strategyIdentify the right keywordsPerform a basic searchAdd keywordsPhrase searchAnalyze search resultsCite online resources

TERMS TO USETERMS TO USE

World Wide Web

~~ an enormous repository of information stored on millions of computers all over the world

Internet

~~ a vast global network of interconnected smaller networks

Understanding Internet Search ToolsUnderstanding Internet Search Tools

Internet search tools are services used to find information on the Web– There are four main types of Internet

search tools

– Each is better for different searches

– No search tool searches the entire Web

Four types of search tools:

~~ search engines

~~ metasearch engines

~~ subject guides

~~ specialized search tools

search engines search engines

~~ find Web pages containing keywords entered in a search form

~~ index the Web with spiders

Keywords Keywords ~~ describe the major concepts of your search topic

Spiders Spiders ~~ programs that scan the Web indexing pages for search engines

metasearch engines metasearch engines

~~ simultaneously search

keywords in multiple

search engines

subject guides subject guides

~~ offer hierarchical subject

categories through which

you navigate, or drill down,

to increasingly more specific

subjects headings

Subject Guides:

– Broad view of Internet topics

– Arranged by subject

– Hierarchical organization

– Typically handcrafted

– Professional, academic, & commercial

specialized search toolsspecialized search tools

~~ find Web pages that are invisible to other search tools

~~ intelligent search agents query multiple databases simultaneously

Deep WebDeep Web ~~ the part of the Web not indexed by spiders; also called the invisible Web; many times the size of the visible

Intelligent search agentsIntelligent search agents ~~ simultaneously search multiple

specialized search tools

Creating an Internet Creating an Internet ResearchResearch StrategyStrategy

Internet Research StrategyInternet Research Strategy

~~ a plan of action to reach

your research goals

Creating an InternetCreating an Internet Research Strategy Research Strategy

1. define topic and identify keywords

2. locate needed background information and identify additional keywords

3. choose the proper search tool

4. translate the topic into a search query

5. perform search

6. evaluate results

7. refine the search if necessary

Search querySearch query ~~ words and symbols which you

enter into a search form and which the search tool uses to search its index

Search formSearch form ~~ the place on a search tool’s

search page where you enter your query

Creating an Internet Creating an Internet Research StrategyResearch Strategy

Find background information

Define your research topic

Identify keywords

Choose the proper search tool

Translate question into an effective search query

Perform your search

Evaluate your search results

If satisfied with the results, be sure to note the information

you will need to cite Web pages later

If not satisfied with the results, return to an earlier step in the process to refine the search

Identifying the RightIdentifying the Right KeywordsKeywords

Identify KeywordsIdentify Keywords

~~ determine which words will best return the results you need

Identifying the RightIdentifying the Right KeywordsKeywords

Summarize your topic in a statement

Pull potential keywords from the statement

Define words & find background information

Identify synonyms and related terms

Synonyms Synonyms ~~ words that have similar

meanings

Stop wordsStop words ~~ words search tools do not

search

PerformingPerforming aa BasicBasic SearchSearch

Perform a Basic SearchPerform a Basic Search

~~ enter keywords into

a search form and

search for relevant links

Performing a Basic SearchPerforming a Basic Search

Websites change frequently―

appearance, design, & even address

If a text box or button in the text has changed, look for a similar one

If a link indicated in the text is no longer there, tell your instructor

CLUES TO USECLUES TO USE

Most search tools allow you to press ENTERENTER to start a search.

Results vary between search engines largely because:

▪▪ their spiders search different parts of the Web

▪▪ their ranking algorithms for results are different.

AddingAdding KeywordsKeywords

common common mistake made mistake made when when searching the searching the InternetInternet

==using too few using too few

keywords to keywords to describe a topicdescribe a topic

Adding KeywordsAdding Keywords

using too few using too few keywords to keywords to describe a topicdescribe a topic

==many many

irrelevant irrelevant

resultsresults

most search engines search according to the order in which you place your keywords

place your most important keyword first

CLUESCLUES TOTO USEUSE

Phrase SearchingPhrase Searching

Use PhrasesUse Phrases

~~ search for two or more

words in a particular order

Phrase searchingPhrase searching

~~ method of searching to keep your words in the correct order

Phrase SearchingPhrase Searching

Most search tools understand

you want to search for a

phrase when you enclose

keywords in ““quotation marks””

UsingUsing PhrasesPhrases

If you search for:If you search for:

two keywords:

results are required to contain both wordsanywhere on the page in any order

two keywords in quotation marks:

results are required to contain this exact phrase (or the words together in this exact order)

““solar energy”solar energy”

solar energysolar energy

UseUse aa PhrasePhrase WhenWhen Searching:Searching:

the name of a person:

““Bobby Orr”Bobby Orr”

the name of a place:

““Memphis Tennessee”Memphis Tennessee”

the name of a business/organization/institution:

““Course Technology”Course Technology”

Use a Phrase When Searching:Use a Phrase When Searching:

the title of a film/show/recording:

““A Hard Day’s Night”A Hard Day’s Night”

the title of a book/newspaper/magazine:

““Ball Four”Ball Four”

a song/poem when you only know a few words:

““you may say I’m a dreamer”you may say I’m a dreamer”

AnalyzingAnalyzing SearchSearch ResultsResults

Analyze Search ResultsAnalyze Search Results

~~ understand clues available

on a search results page

before clicking links

Analyze Search ResultsAnalyze Search Results

find keywords in the search results

decipher the URL

note the ranking of results

look for subject directory links

look for cached pages

navigate between search results pages

URL URL ~~ unique address of a Web site

or page; Uniform Resource Locator

AlgorithmsAlgorithms~~ mathematical formulas used

to rank Web sites according to the terms used in a search query

Cached pageCached page ~~ copy of a Web page on a search engine’s computer

Citing Online ResourcesCiting Online Resources

Cite Online ResourcesCite Online Resources

~~ use a standardized format

to cite the online sources

Cite ResourcesCite Resources

~~ when you use a standardized

citation format, you or anyone

reading your work can easily

return to the resources you used.

MLAMLA (Modern Language Association)

APAAPA (American Psychological Association)

Two widely accepted citation formats are:

CLUES TO USECLUES TO USE

Assume that everything on the Web is copyrighted

If you use a fact, quotation, image, or piece of text from the Web, you must cite the source

If you do not cite your source, you are guilty of plagiarism

Searching Effectively Includes:Searching Effectively Includes:

familiarity with search tools

understanding citing resources

creating a research strategy

identifying useful keywords

performing basic searches

using multiple keywords

searching with phrases

analyzing search results

citing online resources

INTERNET RESEARCHINTERNET RESEARCHUnit AUnit A

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Internet Research – Illustrated, Fourth Edition Unit A.

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