Internet Research – Internet Research – Illustrated, Fourth Illustrated, Fourth
EditionEdition
Unit AUnit A
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Internet Research:Internet Research: UnitUnit AA
Searching Searching
the Internet the Internet
EffectivelyEffectively
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ObjectivesObjectives
Understand Internet search toolsCreate an Internet research strategyIdentify the right keywordsPerform a basic searchAdd keywordsPhrase searchAnalyze search resultsCite online resources
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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
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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
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Four types of search tools:
~~ search engines
~~ metasearch engines
~~ subject guides
~~ specialized search tools
Understanding Internet Search ToolsUnderstanding Internet Search Tools
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search engines search engines
~~ find Web pages containing keywords entered in a search form
~~ index the Web with spiders
Understanding Internet Search ToolsUnderstanding Internet Search Tools
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TERMS TO USETERMS TO USE
Keywords Keywords ~~ describe the major concepts of your search topic
Spiders Spiders ~~ programs that scan the Web indexing pages for search engines
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metasearch engines metasearch engines
~~ simultaneously search
keywords in multiple
search engines
Understanding Internet Search ToolsUnderstanding Internet Search Tools
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subject guides subject guides
~~ offer hierarchical subject
categories through which
you navigate, or drill down,
to increasingly more specific
subjects headings
Understanding Internet Search ToolsUnderstanding Internet Search Tools
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Subject Guides:
– Broad view of Internet topics
– Arranged by subject
– Hierarchical organization
– Typically handcrafted
– Professional, academic, & commercial
Understanding Internet Search ToolsUnderstanding Internet Search Tools
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specialized search toolsspecialized search tools
~~ find Web pages that are invisible to other search tools
~~ intelligent search agents query multiple databases simultaneously
Understanding Internet Search ToolsUnderstanding Internet Search Tools
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TERMS TO USETERMS TO USE
Deep WebDeep Web ~~ the part of the Web not indexed by spiders; also called the invisible Web; many times the size of the visible
Web
Intelligent search agentsIntelligent search agents ~~ simultaneously search multiple
specialized search tools
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Creating an Internet Creating an Internet ResearchResearch StrategyStrategy
Internet Research StrategyInternet Research Strategy
~~ a plan of action to reach
your research goals
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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
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TERMS TO USETERMS TO USE
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
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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
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Identifying the RightIdentifying the Right KeywordsKeywords
Identify KeywordsIdentify Keywords
~~ determine which words will best return the results you need
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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
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Synonyms Synonyms ~~ words that have similar
meanings
Stop wordsStop words ~~ words search tools do not
search
TERMS TO USETERMS TO USE
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PerformingPerforming aa BasicBasic SearchSearch
Perform a Basic SearchPerform a Basic Search
~~ enter keywords into
a search form and
search for relevant links
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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
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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.
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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
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Adding KeywordsAdding Keywords
using too few using too few keywords to keywords to describe a topicdescribe a topic
==many many
irrelevant irrelevant
resultsresults
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most search engines search according to the order in which you place your keywords
place your most important keyword first
CLUESCLUES TOTO USEUSE
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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
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Phrase SearchingPhrase Searching
Most search tools understand
you want to search for a
phrase when you enclose
keywords in ““quotation marks””
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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
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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”
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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”
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AnalyzingAnalyzing SearchSearch ResultsResults
Analyze Search ResultsAnalyze Search Results
~~ understand clues available
on a search results page
before clicking links
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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
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TERMS TO USETERMS TO USE
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
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Citing Online ResourcesCiting Online Resources
Cite Online ResourcesCite Online Resources
~~ use a standardized format
to cite the online sources
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Citing Online ResourcesCiting Online Resources
Cite ResourcesCite Resources
~~ when you use a standardized
citation format, you or anyone
reading your work can easily
return to the resources you used.
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Citing Online ResourcesCiting Online Resources
MLAMLA (Modern Language Association)
APAAPA (American Psychological Association)
Two widely accepted citation formats are:
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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
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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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