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Five Keys to Power Searching*Five Keys to Power Searching*Carl Heine, Ph.D.Carl Heine, Ph.D.

Illinois Mathematics and Science AcademyIllinois Mathematics and Science Academy

*the ability to locate credible information effectively and efficiently


Translating a question into a query

Choosing the best database

Finding better keywords

Recognizing information that’s relevant

Verifying the credibility of information



Search Challenge:

What toy models a construction principle that can reduce damage from earthquakes?

8 Minutes


Search Challenge Questions:

What did you look for?

Where did you look?

What did you find?


What “digital natives” don’t do particularly well

What they tend to do instead

Turn a question into a query

Rush ahead toward an answer, either grabbing the whole question “as is” or missing an important part

of it

Choose the right database Enter words or phrases into Google

Recognize relevant information when they find it

Rush past important information and clues, continue to browse

Find better keywords as they search

Stick with their original words and browse

Verify the credibility of information

Accept what they find at face value, hoping somewhere in the

information there is an answer

Our Findings:


What “digital natives” don’t do particularly well

What they tend to do instead

Turn a question into a query

Rush ahead toward an answer, either grabbing the whole question “as is” or missing an important part

of it

Choose the right database Enter words or phrases into Google

Recognize relevant information when they find it

Rush past important information and clues, continue to

browse

Find better keywords as they search

Stick with their original words and browse

Verify the credibility of information

Accept what they find at face value, hoping somewhere in the information there is an answer

Our Findings:


Starts with a question or a problem to solve.

Task: Translate a natural language question or statement into language that is understood by a search engine.

Search engines differ in how they process queries, but for the most part, what works on one big commercial search engine tends to work on the others.

Search engines perform a variety of literal matching functions with Boolean and special operators.

1.Translating a question into a query


Which of the following is the most effective queryfor 'find the top speed of earth's fastest animal'?

speed fastest animal

what is earth’s fastest animal

top speed earth’s fastest animal

1.Translating a question into a query


This failure occurs before submitting the first query.

Task: Predict where expert information may be found.

No search engine performs a live Internet search when you submit a query. (Otherwise, how could they come back with a page that’s not found?)

That which is stored in one search engine’s database is invisible to another search engine (also called the Deep Web or Enterprise Data)

2. Selecting an adequate database


This failure occurs when a student looks at the results returned by a search engine.

Task: Match findings with expectations, evaluate relevance

Information on the Internet is not always found in predictable places.

Computers are made for speed, which encourages haste.

Hyperlinks and graphics can be distracting.

3. Recognizing relevant information


4. Finding better keywords This failure occurs throughout the search process: before the

initial query is submitted and as students look at the results returned by a search engine.

Task: Select and try increasingly specific keywords

Frequently, effective keywords go unnoticed in snippets.

Effective searching is highly dependent on keyword selection (as important as reading)


5. Evaluating credibility This failure occurs after information has been located.

Task: Check the credibility of the information and its source

Typically, students forego this decision altogether and uncritically accept whatever information they found.

Depending on which database the information was taken from, information may be unedited, unendorsed and inaccurate.


Five Keys to Power SearchingFive Keys to Power SearchingQuestion to query checklist

1. How many key concepts (important ideas) are found in the question?

2. How many key concepts will I search for?3. What keywords are probably effective “as is?” 4. For which concepts are more effective keywords probably

needed? 5. Are there hyponyms or professional language for any of the

intermediate words? 6. Are there words that have multiple meanings? 7. Did I use any stop words or clutter words? 8. Did I spell the words correctly? 9. Did I put the most important words first?


Try it: What is the top speed of earth’s fastest animal?

1. How many key concepts (important ideas) are found in the question?

2. How many key concepts will I search for?3. What keywords are probably effective “as is?” 4. For which concepts are more effective keywords probably

needed? 5. Are there hyponyms or professional language for any of the

intermediate words? 6. Are there words that have multiple meanings? 7. Did I use any stop words or clutter words? 8. Did I spell the words correctly? 9. Did I put the most important words first?

Five Keys to Power SearchingFive Keys to Power Searching


Keyword Challenge tutorials



Choose the best database

1. What person would know the answer I am looking for? 2. Where would I find that expert?3. Use Google/Yahoo to get there and then use the proprietary

search engine to go farther.4. To find a relevant database use keywords like DATABASE,

ARCHIVE, INFORMATION in combination with subject matter keywords.




Database Challenge tutorials


Recognize relevant information

1. Practice effective scanning

2. Read snippets carefully: Snippet Sleuth

3. Use the FIND Command


Gold Rush Challenges


Find better keywords while you search1. Practice with snippets and thesaurus: Soccer Challenge II

2. Practice with snippets: Soccer Challenge III, Snippet Sleuth



Sift information to verify Credibility

Source of the Information: Author, Publisher, External validation of content: Links to this site from other sitesTechnique - link: http://www.edutopia.org


The Information itself: Date, Accuracy, Evidence

Use it? Or Lose it?


Free online resources

21cif.imsa.edu (information fluency)

Full Circle Resource Kits


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