SEARCH TOOLS

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SEARCH TOOLS
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What of users use ONE Search Tool Primarily
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Sullivan, Danny, ed. comScore Media Metrix
Search Engine Ratings. Search Engine Watch.
August 21, 2006. Online http//searchenginewatch.
com/showPage.html?page2156431
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Finding Information on the Web

• Search Engines
• Search or Web Directories
• Meta-Search Engines

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Some Lists of Search Tools

• School Library Search Tools K-5
• Asian Institute of Technology List
• Search Engines Compared
• Speciality Search Engines

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Evaluating Websites

• The Good, The Bad and the UGLY!
• Cornell University Library
• Noodletools Search Strategies!

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Why Evaluate Websites?Why become information
literate?

• EPIC 2014

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Evaluating Websites

• Take an online QUIZ!
• (no grade self/assess)
• Go to
• http//www.md300s07.seedwiki.com/wiki/md300s07

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Evaluating Websites

• ANSWERS
• Alan Novembers Answer Sheet

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Evaluating Websites- AUTHORITY

• Can an author be identified, and is there contact
  information?
• What is the author's reputation and
  qualifications in the subject? How important is
  the authority for this site?
• Does the author provide sources for information?
• Is there a sponsor? Is the sponsor reputable?

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Evaluating Websites- Objectivity (Scope,
Audience, Bias)

• Why does the site exist? What is its purpose--to
  instruct, inform, amuse, or persuade?
• Is its purpose clearly stated or easily inferred,
  or does there appear to be a hidden agenda, bias
  or ulterior motive to the presentation of the
  content?
• Who are the audiences for this site? Is the site
  appropriate for the intended audiences? Look at
  Domain Suffix clues com - Commercial site
  .edu-Educational institution .gov Government
  .org - traditionally a non-profit organization
  .mil Military .net Network various country
  codes au, br, it, ca, mx, il,tw, uk.

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Evaluating Websites- Objectivity (Scope,
Audience, Bias)

• Is the site a "personal" page (often indicated
  with a tilde before the directory name, as in
  www.myfunpage.com/bobsmith)?
• Is it a student or class project?
• How does the site compare with other sites on the
  same subject?

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Evaluating Websites- CURRENCY

• Is the site established for a temporary event or
  activity?
• Is the information up-to-date?
• Is the date of the most recent update provided on
  the webpage?
• Do all of the links work on the website?

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-Evaluating Websites- ACCURACY CONTENT

• Is the information error-free?
• How thoroughly does the site cover its content
  areas? Does it have information that cant be
  found elsewhere?
• If the site provides opinion, rather than facts,
  are these opinions clearly identifiable as such?
• Does the point of view help balance other sites
  selected for your research?
• Does the site provide illustrations you would
  expect to find?

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-Evaluating Websites- FUNCTION

• Do key features work? Do search engines function
  within it, if they are part of the website?
• How fast does the site load?
• Does the site display error messages?
• Are there pop-up ads or other kind of
  advertisement? How frequently do they appear?
  What kind of content do these ads provide?
• Does the site require registration in order to
  access information or use features? Why does the
  site require registration? How much information
  is available anonymously? How much personal
  information is required to register?

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READING A URL

• Service//server/hostname/subdomain/domain/path/fi
  lename
• URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
• IP ADDRESS Internet Protocolhttp//www.hcidata.c
  o.uk/host2ip.htm
• HTTP// HyperText Transfer ProtocolHTML
  (HyperText Markup Language)
• /pathname/
• Web Competency Information Literacy Sources

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Some Search Strategies

• Use quotation marks
• Use and between words phrases (Boolean)
  fiction stories sciencetypes of poetry
  haiku
• Indicate domain types of poetry haiku
  domainedu (or domainnet domainorg)
• Use host George Washington hostwww.timeforkid
  s.com or hostwww.whitehouse.gov

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Some Search Strategies

• Use image imageGeorge Washington.jpg
• Use title title types of poetry
• Use URL urlspanish worksheets or urlalgebra
  lesson plans
• Use LINK linkhttp//www.fairfield.edu/
• Search for specific multimedia text (.doc,
  .txt, .pdf, .html) audio (.au, .aiff, .wav,
  .midi, .mp3, .ra) images (.gif, .jpg, .tiff,
  .bmp) video (.mov, .mpg, .movie, .moov, .avi,
  .rm) test your browsers ability to handle
  various formats at http//www.uncwil.edu/tc/mmtes
  t
• COMBINE

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SEARCH TOOLS