2. Before you start researching there are a few
things to do:
• Narrow down your topic. (try a graphic organizer!!)
• decide if you are going to have subtopics.
• think about your background information
• decide what kind of information that you need.
• decide what kind of sources you are going to use. (or your
teacher tells you that you must)
3. In the library: On the Computer:
•Encyclopedia •Databases
•Non-fiction books •Websites
•Fiction books •On-line news sources
•Magazines •Blogs
•Journals •Wikis
4. 1. Choose a search engine
***Remember Google is only one of many
search engines. Other engines may do a
better job, depending on what type of
materials you are searching for.
But…
What is a search Engine?
5. • A search engine uses algorithms (kind of like math
equations) to search the world wide web to find
websites that match the search terms that you have
input.
• They find sites that are the most popular or in which
the search term is most often repeated. THEY DO
NOT GIVE YOU THE “BEST” SITES, OR THE MOST
ACCURATE AND RELIABLE SITES.
• Companies pay web designers called “Search Engine
Optimizers” to write there websites so that they will
show up at the top of Google’s search results list.
6. •Web searches on Google or other search
engines search only FREE resources on
the World Wide Web…
•And usually you get what you pay for!!!!
•So how can you get the best out of your
internet research???
7. BOOLEAN SEARCHING
•Use words like and, or, and not to help
narrow down your search. (or +,-)
Ex. Search for cancer + symptoms
•Use quotation marks to help find specific
phrases on a website.
Ex. "cancer symptoms”
8. Each search engine uses different
algorithms and so may find different sites.
Ex. Bing, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves
Use a metasearch engine
They search more than one search engine
at a time.
Ex: WebCrawler or dogpile
9. Your search gave you many hits how
do you know which one to choose,
which is the best? Which is good?
Which are reliable, safe, and
appropriate?
Consider the following website:
•www.dhmo.org
10. • List five Characteristics of Dihydrogen Monoxide.
• What are some risks associated with Dihydrogen
Monoxide?
• What is its relation to Cancer?
• Should DHMO be a banned substance?
• Should it require special training to handle and
transport?
• What would you do about DHMO?
• What does the US Environmental Protection Agency
think of DHMO?
12. Critically analyze your search results,
the first site isn’t always the best
choice.
Ask yourself some questions:
13. 1.Who wrote this site? Who sponsors it?
2.What information is relevant to your
research question?
3.When was the website created?
4.Why was the information published?
14. •Who is the author?
o Is it clear who wrote it?
o Is the author qualified to be publishing the information?
o Do they provide contact information?
•Who sponsors the website?
o Is it clear who is sponsoring the site?
o Is there a link or info about why they are sponsoring it?
15. •Is the information true based on what you
already know?
•Is it a not-for profit site? (-.org, .co., .edu…)
•Is the information comparable to other
websites?
16. •Is the site outdated?
•Are the dates of the statistics and
graphs etc. clearly marked?
•Has it been updated?
17. • Is the point of the website to provide true information?
• Is it a public service or a profit making site?
•Is there advertising? Is the advertising
separate from the content of the page?
And another big question:
•IS THERE BIAS?
18. Of course whatever sources you use you will
have to acknowledge.
If you don’t it’s plagiarism.
Avoid plagiarism by using direct quotations, writing in your own words (paraphrasing) , and
Use a bibliography to credit your
sources!!
19. As you work record your sources on a graphic
organizer called: Works Cited Frame (available in
the library by the computers) to record all the
information you will need.
Use the website “Citation Machine”
http://www.citationmachine.net/ to help create
your bibliography. The link can be found on our
library’s Destiny page. For more information ask
your teacher or your Librarian.
20. Board of School Trustees, School District
44. Web in the classroom. North Vancouver:
Tora Design Group, 2004. 173. Print.
Way, Tom. "Dihydrogen Monoxide."
Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division -
Dihydrogen Monoxide Info. Web. 08 Mar.
2011. <http://www.dhmo.org/>.
