BY MARK E. MORAN & SHANNON A. FIRTH

1. Teaching the
Ten Steps to
Better Web Research
By Mark E. Moran & Shannon A. Firth
Dulcinea Media

2. Links to studies & articles discussed
are at the end of this presentation and
at
http://bit.ly/teachtensteps
The PowerPoint version may be found at
www.SlideShare.net/SweetSearch

3. Dulcinea Media provides free content & tools that help
educators teach students how to use the Internet
effectively.
More about us and our products:
http://www.DulcineaMedia.com
Check out SweetSearch, A Search Engine for
Students
www.SweetSearch.com
Sign-up for our free daily newsletter:
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/info/newsletter.html
Follow us on Twitter:
@findingDulcinea & @findingEdu

4. “It is very likely that our students’ brains
have physically changed– and are
different from ours – as a result of how
they grew up.” 1
-- Marc Prensky

5. Our generation

6. Their generation

7. So, are “digital natives” experts at searching the
Web?

8. • After a year long information literacy program,
most fifth grade students continued to rely
entirely on Google and “never questioned the
reliability of the websites they accessed.” 2
-- Vrije University Netherlands

9. • Even when high school students found a good
source they did not recognize it and instead
launched a new search. A high level of browsing
is carried on at the expense of thinking and
planning. 3
-- Shu Hsien L. Chen

10. • “Electronic media can “overwhelm youth with
information that they may not have the skills or
experience to evaluate.” And literacy skills
overlap with safety skills. 4
-- Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet &
Society, March 2010

11. • Students without access to librarians teaching
Web research skills show up at college “beyond
hope”….”they have learned to ‘get by’ with
Google.” 5
-- University College London

12. • Not one of the 600 college students surveyed
"could give an adequate conceptual definition of how
Google returns results….the word ‘magic’ came up a
lot.” 6 --ERIAL study (Illinois)

13. In 2010 Dulcinea
Media Surveyed
300 middle
school and
high school
students in New
York.

14. How do you begin your search?
• Almost half of middle school students chose “I
type a question.”

15. If a search doesn’t give you good
results...

16. ... what do you do next?
• I try another search engine.
• I try different keywords but if I still can't find
an answer, I just think real hard for an
answer.
• I focus on the encyclopedia.

17. I punch the
screen.
Just kidding, LOL.

18. How do you decide if an online article is a
good source to use for a school report?

19. It’s a good source….
• if it has the information I need then it’s good for
me.
• if it sounds good, I know it’s right, and it has good
vocab.

20. Actual Answer:
“I don’t know.
I just go with it.”

21. How often do you check the author of
an article?

22. • About 2/3 of students “rarely or never” check
the author.

23. “It doesn’t really
matter who wrote it.”..”

24. How often do you check to see when
an article was written or last updated?

25. • Half of high school students and about 3/4 of
middle school students say they “rarely or never”
check the date of an article.

26. I can’t find it.

27. In Conclusion….
A majority of students:
 don’t know how to form a sound search query;
 don’t have a strategy for dealing with poor
results;
 can’t articulate how they know content is
credible;
 don’t check the author or date of an article.

28. In other words...

29. WE’RE LOST

30. Improving Internet skills starts with educators

31. “Students see educators
modeling an effective
research process and
learn from it.”
-Colette Cassinelli
librarian/ technology teacher
Portland, OR

32. “Librarians must be
able to retool and
stay ahead of
teachers and students
-Joyce Valenza
media specialist
Springfield Township, PA

33. Recognizing reliable sources
+
consider infinite options
+
Understanding intellectual property rights
+
Engaging modern audiences with conclusions
= EFFECTIVE USE OF THE WEB

34. Models & Resources for Web Research
• Review the Big6 model.7
• Share the Ergo search model with students. 8
• Teach Ten Steps for Better Web Research.
http://www.SweetSearch.com/TenSteps

35. How Do Effective Researchers Behave?
• Start general with several keywords
• Try new combinations in a systemic manner
• Use more precise, or even natural language. 9
• Look well beyond the first few results, and return
often to favorite, reliable sites.

36. No Quick Fix
• Effective web research skills cannot be
learned in a week, a semester, or a year.
• They must be taught year-round, throughout
primary school years, and can be mastered
only as students mature and gain experience.

37. A New Approach?
• Authors of ERIAL study: teach broad concepts
and strategies, not use of specific tools.

38. "Unless we can demonstrate some measurable
payoff to searching, students aren’t going to do it.”
6
- Lisa Rose-Wiles
librarian
Seton Hall University

39. “Use better interfaces and more sophisticated
indexing methods to nudge students, incrementally,
toward competence.” 6
- Casper Grathwohl
Oxford University Press

40. Step 1: Where to Search
• The Internet may not be the best place to
start; databases may help you find what you’re
seeking far faster.

41. Step 1: Where to Search
• Don’t count on search engines to do all the
work for you. Ask a librarian or teacher to
recommend individual sites.
• Use student-friendly tools for aggregating
your own favorite sites. e.g. Symbaloo or Diigo.

42. Step 1: Where to Search
• Give students
a list of 10 sites; include
two poor sources.
• Students must defend
their sources and point out
weak links.
- Michelle Baldwin
Vocal Music Teacher
Omaha, NE

43. Step 2: Try Several Search Engines
• Suggest a two-week “Google Holiday” to
lessen dependency.
• Introduce meta-search engines (eg. Zuula).
More about search engines: http://bit.ly/bO7FbB

44. Step 2: Try Several Search Engines…..
• SweetSearch searches
35,000 websites that research
experts have evaluated and
approved.
• SweetSearch4Me features
sites for emerging learners.
•We created these, yet don’t
use them exclusively– we use
the full range of resources.

45. Step 3: Dig deep for the best results
• Many websites rank high for reasons
unrelated to the quality of their content.
• Professionals and academics don’t practice
Search Engine Optimization.
• Don’t stop at the first page!!

46. Step 3: Dig deep….
• Google and other search engines optimize
their results for adults, who want to know
“what happened today.” Google recently
promised to deliver “50% fresher” results.
• For school research, “fresher” is not usually
better.

47. Step 3: Dig deep….
• With Yolink users can browse search results in
context without opening them. ALL educators and
students should use it.
• Integrated into SweetSearch, Yolink can be used
on other sites through a browser add-on.
•SweetSearch = “better indexing,” Yolink = “better
interface” suggested by Oxford University Press.

48. Step 4: Think Before You Search
“If you don’t know
where you’re going,
you’ll probably end
up somewhere else.”
- Yogi Berra

49. • Define your task.
• Have students rewrite
assignments in their
own words.
- Angela Maiers
education consultant
Maiers Education Services
Step 4: Think Before You Search

50. Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You
• Connectors AND and OR can be moderately
effective.
• Quotation marks are a critical tool students
should know when to use.
• But advanced search options are the best way
to mandate or exclude certain words.

51. Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You
• Learn the AROUND function.
• Search “Kennedy" AROUND(10) “moon” and
the top results will be ones in which Kennedy
appears within ten words of moon.
•NOTE: both search terms must be in quotes,
AROUND must be capitalized, and the number
must be in parentheses.

52. Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You
• As you search, add new keywords.
• Avoid “looping” by documenting your search
with a bookmarking tool, or keep a written record.

53. Step 6: Don’t Believe Everything You Read
Students should think like a detective.
•A dose of healthy skepticism is required.
•Information is only as good as its source.
• No single element determines credibility.
•ALWAYS verify critical information with
several sources.

54. Step 7: Find Primary Sources
•Think of primary sources such as photos,
diaries and newspapers as “eyewitness
accounts” – which are generally more reliable
than second-hand information.
More: http://bit.ly/6CnTrq

55. Step 7: Looking at the Original Source?
• If you suspect a site may not be the original
source of information, google a key phrase.
• If the phrase appears on another site,
evaluate the credibility of that site.
More: http://bit.ly/9k6a2v

56. Step 8: Who Published the Article?
• Do editors or experts review the information?
Is it thorough?
• Do the author and publisher have a well-
established reputation? Search their names in a
search engine.

57. Step 8: Who Published the Article?
• If the site does not provide the name of the
publisher and its editors you cannot rely
on it.
• Even if it “looks good or sounds good.”

58. Step 8: Who Published the Article?
• See 10 Reasons Why
Students Can’t Cite
Wikipedia.
More: http://bit.ly/dlxX6i

59. Step 8: Who Published the Article?
• Assessing the top level domain (.com. .gov,
.org, .edu) is not as useful as commonly
believed.
• Be wary of sites containing words like
"free/discount/best/your/Web.”
• Be critical of sites where advertisements blend
with content.

60. Step 9: Why Was the Article Written?
• Always ask, “why did the writer write this?”
• Is the site trying to sell you something?
• Does the site have any social or political
biases? Eg. WhiteHouse.gov is not a neutral
source for information on U.S. Presidents.

61. Step 9: Why Was the Article Written?
• Many websites that appear to offer valid
information but were created for another
purpose.
•More: http://bit.ly/9dzELE

62. Step 10: When was information written
or last revised?
• Determine when an article was published or
last updated.
• If you can’t, then confirm the currency of the
information elsewhere.
• Use a news search engine, add the current
year as a search term, or Advanced Search
Options to restrict dates (imperfect).
More: http://bit.ly/9dzELE

63. The End?
Yes, but it’s only the beginning of our efforts to
help educators teach students how to use the Web
effectively.
We will offer versions of the Ten Steps for emerging
learners, and lesson plans and videos. Sign-up for
our newsletter to be kept updated on our progress.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/info/newsletter.html

64. Works Cited:
1. Prensky, Marc. “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” : On the Horizon. NCB University Press, Vol.
9 No. 5, October 2001
2. Els Kuiper, Monique Volman and Jan Terwel. “Students' use of Web literacy skills and strategies:
searching, reading and evaluating Web information.” Information Research: Vol. 13, No.3,
(September, 2008.http://www.informationr.net/ir/13-3/paper351.html
3. Shu-Hsien L. Chen. “Searching the Online Catalog and the World Wide Web.” Journal of
Educational Media & Library Sciences, 41 1 (September 2003) 29-43
4. On “Empowering Parents and Protecting Children in an Evolving Media landscape” Berkman
Center for Internet & Society. February 24, 2010. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/5951
5. UCL. “Information behavior of the researcher of the future”: 11 January 2008.
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/reppres/gg_final_keynote_11012008.pdf
6. Steve Kolowich, Searching for Better Research Habits, Inside Higher Ed, September 29, 2010
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/09/29/search
(cont’d)

65. Works Cited:
7. Eisenberg, Mike. “What is the Big 6.” The Big 6: Information & Technology Skills for Student
Achievement, (1997)
http://www.big6.com/what-is-the-big6/
8. “Research Skills.” State Library of Victoria. Ergo. (2010)
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ergo/research_skills
9. Media Post: Google Research Focuses on Search Failures, September 21, 2010
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=136114&nid=118854
10. Kasman Valenza, Joyce. “PowerSearching 501”: Springfield Township High School Library
http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/jvles.html

66. Dulcinea Media Links:
Dulcinea Media: http://dulcineamedia.com/
Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/researchhighschool
SweetSearch 10 Steps: http://www.SweetSearch.com/TenSteps
Yolink: http://www.yolinkeducation.com/education/
SweetSearch: http://www.SweetSearch.com
SweetSearch4Me: http://www.SweetSearch4Me.com
Search Engines http://bit.ly/bO7FbB
Primary Sources: http://bit.ly/6CnTrq
Original Source? http://bit.ly/9k6a2v
Can’t Cite Wikipedia: http://bit.ly/dlxX6i
Who? http://bit.ly/9dzELE
Why? http://bit.ly/aTfAPo
When? http://bit.ly/cZDEig