Sec 1Computer Studies

Lesson 2, 2009Online Information Sourcing

TodayRules: A reminderEduLearn AccountSearch strategies

Evaluating sourcesPreventing plagiarism

Adapted from GE IRS workshop on “Information Sourcing and Searching”, RGS and “21st Century Information Literacy”, IMSA http://21cif.imsa.edu/

Some RulesA reminder

Computer Lab Rules

Please don’t...Play computer games or log on to internet chat

Eat or drink in the labGo to undesirable sites

Enter the staff area

PunctualityWait outside until at least 90% of the class is here – IT rep to take

attendanceDon’t let people wait for you!

When You Come InSit in register order, spiralling from register

number 1 (near the entrance)Do not turn on the computer until told to do so

During LectureHands and eyes off the computers, please! If not...

Hands and eyes off one another also

During TutorialFollow computer lab rules

Stay seated – it’s a crowded labKeep noise level to an acceptable level

Done With Work?What is “acceptable use” of the computer?

Logging InNovell Login:

Check “Workstation Only”User: student, password: students

EduLearn AccountOnline learning management system for:

Checking teachers’ messages and announcements

Getting your notes and online lesson materialDoing quizzes and surveys

How to log onhttp://www.ri.sch.edu.sghttp://ri.asknlearn.com

Username and password: NRIC

EduLearn Interface

Exercise 0Log on to EduLearn and change your password

(please remember it)Do the survey “Sec 1 Computer Studies Survey”

Time: 5 minutesAfter 5 minutes, please switch off your monitor

(If necessary)Authoring Mode → Communication → Survey

Choose “Secondary Computer Studies”Click on survey

Search StrategiesWhy do we need search strategies?

Imagine you are answering a question you don’t have any clue about. Examples...

Exercise 1

http://21cif.imsa.edu/tutorials/challenge/SC001/http://21cif.imsa.edu/tutorials/challenge/SC001/SC_002.swfSC_002.swf

How Do Search Engines Work?

“Spiders” crawl the internet and compile a database of keywords Results are ranked by certain algorithms

Effective SearchingPreliminary search for “clues”

Keywords and operators relevant to your search

Searching in the right placesRevise search terms and keywords

Preliminary SearchWhat kind of preliminary search would you do for this topic:

“What policies have been implemented for children with special needs in education?”

KeywordsIdentify the following in these searches:

Keywords, key phrases, words that can be left out

Keyword Identification

Who first claimed that China’s Great Wall can be effectively seen from space?

Keyword Identification

What fish other than piranhas in the Amazon is a threat to humans?

OperatorsInclude: +Exclude: -

ORPhrase searching – “global warming”

Search EnginesNot everything can be found on Google / Yahoo

Using a directory or specialised search engine

The Invisible Web

Specialised Search Engines

Google ImagesGoogle Scholar

Google Blog Search / TechnoratiGoogle News

The Invisible WebIntentionally skipped over by search enginesProfessional-quality and more content than

the web we know, but private or password-protected

Try adding database, archive, repository to your search queries

NLB eDatabasesHigh-quality online databases

Free access to NLB Digital Library membershttp://www.nlb.gov.sg

Revising Search Terms

Once you have searched for your preliminary terms and keywords, look through your results and search for relevant terms that show up

Exercise 2

http://21cif.imsa.edu/tutorials/challenge/SC001/http://21cif.imsa.edu/tutorials/challenge/SC001/SC_001.swfSC_001.swf

Exercise 3

http://21cif.imsa.edu/tutorials/challenge/SC001/http://21cif.imsa.edu/tutorials/challenge/SC001/SC_directory.htmlSC_directory.html

TodayRules: A reminderEduLearn AccountSearch strategiesAny questions?

Adapted from GE IRS workshop on “Information Sourcing and Searching”, RGS and “21st Century Information Literacy”, IMSA http://21cif.imsa.edu/