mrs.waters.courses

Online Research

All of us have used Google at one time or another to find a web site. But, how do we use it effectively to find good web sites for our research projects? In this lesson we'll learn an easy and effective way to conduct online research and how to tell if the web sites we find are vaild (good, truthful, unbiased).

Use Advance Research Techniques!
Using Google's Advanced Research is our first step to conducting effective research. From here, we can follow  4 steps involved in conducting online research. These steps are called NETS:
1. Narrow your search by entering in all the words that would always appear on the perfect page
2. Exact- use exact phrases to really define what you are looking for
3. Trim back the URL until you can get to the root of the web site
4. Similar - find similar pages so that you can deepen your research efforts.

Try the NETS approach! Review the NETS web site and follow the step by step procedures for conducting online research.

Evaluate the Site!
Now, how do we know if the site we find is any good? Is unbiased? Is truthful?

There are 8 Steps you can use to evaluate the validity of a web site:
1. Who wrote the information?
2. Are the goals of the web site clear?
3. Does the web site achieve its goals?
4. Is the site relevant to you?
5. Can the information provided on the site be checked/verified?
6. Is the information on the site current?
7. Is the information biased?
8. Does the site offer other resources?

Let's walk through each of the 8 steps and learn more!
(2nd to 5th -- play:  http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm)
(6th to 8th -- review: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html)

What About Wikipedia?
Wikipedia is an incredible online encyclopedia. It contains information on just about anything you can imagine. All of the entries are created and edited by .... anyone. And herein lies the problem. Since just about anyone can edit and entry, how do we know if the entry is valid? We don't really. The way Wikipedia validates an entry is by having millions of viewers who can question what information is provided. This is their check and balance. So, it's not necessary rocket science and we need to approach the information it contains as just one starting point. DO NOT RELY ON WIKIPEDIA....Always consult  and verify by using other forms of research and information.

Let's take a look at www.wikipedia.com for volcanoes.

Practice Evaluating!
Use the Four NETS Steps to find a web site on volcanoes (that is not wikipedia)
Next, print out and complete the 8 Steps worksheet to evaluate the site. Turn in your work  at the end of class.

Remember to Practice Digital Citizenship!
Don't plagiarize!  
Respect copyrights and intellectual property rights

Cite Your Sources
One way to make sure you are practicing Digital Citizenship is to cite your sources. Citing sources means that give credit to the authors or creators of the resources you used in your research.

There are lots of different ways to cite your sources. For example: Smith, Hazel B. "All About Giraffes." 1995.

Let's look deeper at citing your sources:
(2nd to 5th see: http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/kids/step3.html and http://nausetschools.org/research/worksgrade4.htm
(6th to 8th see: http://www.thewritesource.com/mla.htm)

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Any research you conduct and use in your class work projects must use these citation formats. Citations will be part of your grade. Print out an easy to use guide for MLA Citations and use it!

Practice Using the Hawaii State Library System for your Research
Another useful tool for research is the good old library. We can get to it on foot and through the Internet.
Check out the Hawaii State Library!
Here we can 1) get a library card, 2) get help conducting research for our homework, 3) borrow books.

DO: Review Mrs. Braden's How-to worksheet and begin your searching! If you don't have a library card...get one at: http://www.librarieshawaii.org/services/libcard.htm (you'll need your parents to help out).

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References
http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/kids/step3.html
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/Searching/fournets.htm