using the internet effectively what is surfing? browsing jumping from link to link randomly...

USING THE INTERNET EFFECTIVELY

What is Surfing?

Browsing Jumping from link to link Randomly roaming Having way too much fun

Why Not Surf?

Takes time Yields unreliable results

Produces Quantity not Quality Leads to unrelated sites Is not a skill that can be

refined or given value

Searching

Is an essential skill Is a complex skill useful throughout

life Is a pre-computer activity Yields more reliable results

Quality not Quantity Must be taught

Why “searching” is essential? Complex, information-rich world Many good electronic sources Saves time Life skill for the next century

Searching demands that one: Ask questions Organize and assess information Master higher order thinking skills Demonstrate achievement Master strategies for solving

problems Identify best sources of information Determine when information can

help solve a problem

Information Skills (Big 6)

1.Task Definition2.Information Seeking Strategies3.Location & Access4.Use of Information5.Synthesis6.Evaluation

http://www.big6.com

1. Task Definition

What is the task/problem? What types of information are

needed?

The "Big6™" is copyrighted © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For taking notes related to information on this slide, go to•http://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=2 and•http://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=3

2. Information Seeking Strategies

What are the possible sources of information?

Which would be best sources?

The "Big6™" is copyrighted © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For taking notes related to information on this slide, go tohttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=2 andhttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=3

3. Location & Access

Can you locate the best sources? Can you find information within

the sources?

The "Big6™" is copyrighted © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For taking notes related to information on this slide, go tohttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=2 andhttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=3

4. Use of Information

How can I best use each source? What information in each source

is useful?

The "Big6™" is copyrighted © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For taking notes related to information on this slide, go tohttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=2 andhttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=3

5. Synthesis

How can I organize all the information?

How can I present the results?

The "Big6™" is copyrighted © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For taking notes related to information on this slide, go tohttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=2 andhttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=3

6. Evaluation

Is the task complete Does the solution answer the

original question? Did I use authoritative sources What can improve the solution?

The "Big6™" is copyrighted © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For taking notes related to information on this slide, go tohttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=2 andhttp://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=107&page=3

Search Engine Concerns

No “Internet Police” Hits mechanically returned

without human eyes ever seeing them

Pornography and violence

Safe Searching

Safe Searching

Screen pornography and violence Allows topics such as

“breast cancer” SurfWatch technology + Index of objectionable words

Search Tools

Search Engines (and Directories) First Search Engine: Archie 1990 (before the WWW

was created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991) General Search Engines | Ask | Google | Yahoo |

Bing | Alta Vista | AlltheWeb.com | Metasearch Engines | DogPile | Yippy | WebCrawler Academic/Scholarly Search Engines |

Google Scholar | Infomine | Scirus | OAIster | Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) | A Comprehensive List

Children's Search Engines| Ask for Kids | KidsClick |  Yahooligans |

Customizing a Search Engine | The Google Custom Search Engine for Educators|

Search Engines

“software programs that....retrieve information about where on the Internet information is located based upon input by the user...”

Main Parts of Search Engine

What you see: Search Entry Form Search, Submit or Go Button Display of Sites w/Hypertext Link Online Help or Options

What you don’t see: ‘Bot or Spider that searches the Internet Database(index) of information gathered by

Spider

Google

Originated as a project at Stanford University

Students Larry Page and Sergey Brin were its developers

Originally called BackRub – changed to Google in 1998 when the project became a private company

A public company today – offer investment opportunities for investors on NYSE.

Power Searching

And Or Not

not Internet not email

journal or magazine

Mexico and missions

Power Searching

Specific Phrase +forced Proximity (within 10 words)

Truncation

“World Wide Web”

distance~learning

educat*educateeducatededucatingeducationeducator

+Khirallah +DANTE

Power Searching

Wild Card

Limit by Site

Specialized Searching Example: US Government Search:

http://www.google.com/unclesam Example: Academic Search:

http://infomine.ucr.edu/

wom*nwomanwomen

site:•Example: Khirallah site:www.udallas.edu

Refining a Google Search

About Keywords Synonyms Dictionary Spelling

Query Refinements Plus Operator (+) Searching for Related Content Fill-in-the-Blank Searches (*)

+medic

What Can We Learn?

Try a few, carefully chosen key words!

Tips for Searching

doctor

Single Word Search

How many words in a search?

Single word searches often lead to irrelevant “hits”

More keywords - the narrower the search - more relevant

Too many keywords may narrow it too far and not get anything

Search for Phrases

Search for Phrases Often the best way to get relevant

hits Sometimes phrases need to be

narrowed even more.

More Tips for Searching

Develop strategies before searching Brainstorm key words and synonyms If you don’t find it with one search

engine, try another Quality is preferable to quantity Use specific words when looking for

specific things (Porsche, not car or automobile)

Tips for Searching, cont.

Use a unique keyword or phrase (“Detroit tigers” or “Bengal tigers” instead of tigers)

Find out if case counts. (saints or Saints)

Watch your spelling

Tips for Searching, cont.

Refine searches as necessary AND to narrow, OR to broaden,

NOT to eliminate Generally first documents

displayed are best matches, so if you don’t find it on the first few pages,....try, try again!

Meta Search Engines

Search multiple search engines at once Use it for very obscure/narrow topics Examples:

WebCrawler Dogpile Metacrawler Yippy

Meta Search Engines

Advantages Queries multiple search engines Returns results simultaneously More Internet-wide results

Disadvantages Slower Most can’t use complex search statements Results sometimes overwhelming Some give duplicate hits

Directories

Human beings: View sites Classify sites Sometimes review and/or rate sites

Ideal for browsing broad topics Less comprehensive than search engines Less duplication Higher quality

“...a directory that is searchable, not a search engine….”

Yahoo!

Granddaddy of directory-based Web search tools

1994 @ Stanford by two Ph.D. students (who dropped out)

Hierarchical approach to organizing info “Hands-on” classification of submissions Not as large as

other search engines

Yahoo! is best when:

You have a broad topic in mind and need to narrow it

You want just a few really good sides on a particular topic

Portals

Want to be your “doorway” to the Internet

Most are personalizable Search tools - directories and search

engines Email Stock Quotes News

Web Watchers and Personal Spiders

Read this -- http://www.post-gazette.com/printer.asp

Monitor the Internet for you Check for new information Updated web sites

For more info on searching:

http://searchenginewatch.com/facts/

Search Engine EKGs Monthly Ratings Sizes … and more than you

really want to know

Remember

Choose two or three different search tools and use them frequently

Get to know the advanced features Watch for improvements in your favorite

search tools Periodically check other search tools for

improvements

Now it’s your turn!Good Luck!!