Presentation for introduction to doing research on the web. Showing how Google is not the only resource for finding information.

1. Research On The Internet
Going
Beyond
Google To
Unlock
Answers
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2. Overview

Introduction

What is the question?

Define the terms

Search Engines & Directories

“The Invisible Web”: Searchable Databases

Evaluating information: Reliable? Useful?

Summary
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3. The answers are out there somewhere...
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4. Introduction
Look familiar? Is this the first place you go?
More categories
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5. Introduction
Following these steps can help improve your
chances of finding your answer:

Ask “What is the real question?”

Define the terms you use

Look at some search engines & directories to
see which one(s) will help in the search

Look at what's available on the “The Invisible
Web”

Finally, evaluate the answer: Is the information
source reliable? Does it answer my question?
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6. What is the Question?

WHO

WHERE

WHEN

WHY

HOW

WHAT?
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7. What is the Question?
WHO—
Who is the president of France?
Title of person known, name unknown
Who invented Post-It Notes?
Person did something, name unknown
Who is Harry Potter?
Name known, but need description
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8. What is the Question?
WHERE—
Where is Washington, D.C.?
Name known, unknown location
Where is the appendix located?
Name known, unknown location, not on map
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9. What is the Question?
WHEN—
When was World War I?
Event known, time period unknown
When will the next solar eclipse occur?
Event known, specific date/time unknown
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10. What is the Question?
WHY—
Why are leaves green?
There is a cause or causes...because
Why is Labor Day celebrated?
The reason behind the event...because
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11. What is the Question?
HOW—
How do you make pizza dough?
What is the process...step-by-step
How many ounces in a gallon?
What amount...much, long, wide, etc.
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12. What is the Question?
WHAT—
What is a salamander?
Name known, description unknown
What animal has a long neck?
Description known, name unknown
What is the definition of noxious?
Name known, definition unknown
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13. What is the Question?
WHAT!— Is it really a “What” question?
What is the name of the president of France?
Who is the president of France
What is the process for making pizza dough?
How do you make pizza dough?
What is the date of Lincoln's Birthday?
__________________________?
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14. Finding the right words to use can be_____!
Tiring Fatiguing
Exhausting Pooping?
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15. Define the Terms

Am I using the right word(s)?

Is there more than one way to say it?

What tools will help me find the word(s) I
need?
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16. Define the Terms
Is there more than one way to say it?
Autumn or fall
Attorney or lawyer or barrister (British)
Wizard or warlock or sorcerer or necromancer
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar or “El Cid”
Lemony Snicket or Daniel Handler
Can you think of any other examples?
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17. Define the Terms
What tools will help me find the right word(s)?
DICTIONARIES
Dictionaries (General): Webster's, Oxford
English Dictionary, American Heritage,...
Dictionaries (Specialized): Mosby's Medical
Dictionary, Black's Law Dictionary,...
Dictionaries (Online): Merriam-Webster Online
Search, TheFreeDictionary, OneLook,...
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18. Define the Terms
What tools will help me find the right word(s)?
THESAURI
Thesauri (General): Roget's Thesaurus,
Webster's New World Thesaurus,...
Thesauri (Online): Thesaurus.com,
FreeThesaurus.net, TheFreeDictionary,...
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19. Define the Terms
What tools will help me find the right word(s)?
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Encyclopedias (General): World Book,
Britannica,...
Encyclopedias (Online): Britannica Online,
Wikipedia,...
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20. Define the Terms
What tools will help me find the right word(s)?
NOTE: A BIG benefit of using the right tools to
define your terms/words is that they just may
provide the answer you were looking for.
But
if your answer requires more research then...
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21. The Search is On!
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22. Search Engines
Is this the first place you go when
looking for answers on the internet?
More categories
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23. Search Engines
Now that's out of the way...
Let's look at a few examples of different types
of Search Engines:

General Search Engines

Meta-Search Engines
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24. Search Engines
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25. Search Engines
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26. Meta-Search Engines
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27. Meta-Search Engines
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28. Web Directories
What is a Web Directory?
A web directory is not a search engine and
does not display lists of web pages based on
keywords; instead, it lists web sites by category
and subcategory
-Definition from Wikipedia
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29. Web Directories
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30. Web Directories
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31. Invisible Web
What is the “Invisible Web”?
The term refers to either Web pages that cannot
be indexed by a typical search engine or Web
pages that a search engine purposely does not
index, rendering the data “invisible” to the general
user.
-Definition from internet.com (Webopedia)
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32. Invisible Web
Where is the Invisible Web?
●
There are several reasons why web pages
are invisible but let's focus on searchable
databases for our research
●
Searchable databases can be library
catalogs, article databases, medical
databases,etc.
●
Searchable databases usually require
passwords to access
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33. Invisible Web
Searchable Databases
Some examples of who uses them:
●
University – Students, faculty, staff,
visiting scholars need library card
●
Corporations – Employees with need
to know
●
Public Library – General public
needs library card
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34. Invisible Web
Searchable Databases
Do You Belong to Any Group of
Users We Mentioned?
How Many of You Have...
A Library Card?
(Hint, Hint, Hint)
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35. Invisible Web
Searchable Databases
Database Examples:
●
Genealogical – Heritage Quest
●
Biographical – Biography Resource
Center
●
Medical – Physicians Desk Reference
●
Business – Business Source Premier
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36. Time to Evaluate!
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37. Evaluate
I Have Found Information...
Now What Do I Do?
ASK--
●
Can I trust the information?
●
Does it answer MY question?
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38. Evaluate
Can I Trust the Information?
ASK--
●
Is the source reliable?
●
Do “trusted” experts refer to or use
the source?
●
Does it make sense to me?
●
How could bad information
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39. Evaluate
Does it Answer MY Question?
ASK--
●
What was my question?
●
Did it answer my WHO, WHERE,
WHEN, WHY, HOW, WHAT?
●
Did it answer all of my question?
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40. Success!
You
Found
It!
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41. Summary
●
What is the real question?
●
Define terms/words used for search
●
Look at different search engines &
directories
●
Take advantage of information on the
“Invisible Web”
●
Evaluate information for accuracy and
usefulness
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42. Questions?
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