Web Searching Made Easy
There’s no doubt that the spider is an expert when it comes to spider webs. The purpose of this course is to make you a web expert, too.
Being an expert at searching the Internet requires many different skills. First you must understand how search engines work and what web addresses mean. Next you must learn how to select a valid, reliable web site. Finally you need to be able to find and use databases on the “Invisible Web.” Then you will be an expert web searcher.
What are Search Engines?
Search engines are huge databases of web page files. Most search engines assemble this data automatically by computer. They are called “crawler-based” search engines.
How do Search Engines Work?
Crawler-based search engines compile their databases by employing digital mechanisms called “spiders,” “robots,” or “bots” to “crawl” through web space from link to link, identifying and collecting pages. Sites with no links to other pages may be missed completely by these spiders. Once the spiders reach a web site, they index most of the words on their search engine. Web page owners may submit their URLs (uniform resource locator/electronic addresses) to search engines so their information can be included in site-specific searches. Sometimes web site owners pay to have their sites included.
Whenever you search the web using a search engine, you are asking the engine to scan the sites it has collected. It matches your keywords or phrases with those in the texts of documents within the engine’s databases.
It is important to remember that when you are using a search engine you are NOT searching the entire web. You are actually searching only a portion of the web, captured by a particular search engine at that moment.
Information on sites may change daily, but changes are not necessarily reflected immediately in the search engine’s index. Spiders often return to the web pages they have indexed before. They look for changes that are then added to the index. However, the updating process may not occur the same day, depending upon how often spiders make their rounds and how promptly the information gathered is added to the index. Spiders must visit any new web before the page will appear in your results list for a search.
Some web sites limit a spider’s access by blocking the site. The spider cannot index any information beyond the home page. Some sites allow a user to register for free access. Others must be purchased for a fee and then are accessed with a password. These are the sites that are part of the “Invisible Web.” The Invisible Web will be discussed later in the course.
Are all Search Engines the Same?
Every search engine uses different software programs to search web sites for matching keywords and phrases. No search engines are the same in size, speed or content. It has been estimated that the content of search engines can differ by as much as 40%. As a result, your search will be different on each search engine you use.
How are Web Pages Ranked by Search Engines?
Each search engine has its own way of ranking web pages, though all search engines want the most recent pages at the top of their list. The engines check each web site’s title and scan the text near the top of the document to determine its rank. Some search engines compute the popularity of a site by checking the number of links that point to the site.
What are Meta-Search Engines?
Search engines such as Dogpile and Clusty, formerly Vivisimo, search many different engines at the same time. Some will allow you to select which search engines you want to search. If your search on one of the popular engines like Google is not very successful, try a meta-search engine.
What are the Most Useful and Popular Search Engines?
Google is by far the most popular search engine, and it is also considered by many to be the best. Other search engines you can try if you want more information are Yahoo and Ask.
Scirus is a search engine specifically for science information.
Why are Search Engines Important?
Unless you already know the address of a site that has the information you want, you need to use search engines. They are the main way to search for keywords, phrases or quotes buried in the millions of web pages.
Complete Activity #1 Before Going On!
Evaluating Web Pages
Millions of people have created web pages for everything you can imagine, including hoaxes, personal pages, scientific reports, commercials and sales, pornography, academic courses, full text documents, auctions and many others. How can you sort through all these pages to select accurate information that will make your report valid? First you must be familiar with the different types of web sites.
How to Read a Web Address:
Each web site has a URL (uniform resource locator) that is its electronic address. This URL must be typed correctly in the location box or you will not find the web site. An example of a web site is: <http://www.pinkertonacademy.org>.
“http” means the hypertext transfer protocol and refers to the format used to transfer information. It is always used at the beginning of the address.
“www” stands for World Wide Web. It is the name for the host server that supports text, graphics, sound files, etc. Many web sites and browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape will add these letters automatically.
Each web site ends with a domain that gives information about the web site:
.edu – educational site (usually a university or college)
.com – commercial business site
.gov – U.S. government/non-military site
.mil - U.S. military sites
.org - nonprofit organizations
.net - networks, internet service providers, some organizations
.aero – restricted use by air transportation industry
.info - general use by both commercial and noncommercial sites
.museum - restricted use by museums
.name - restricted use by individuals
.pro - restricted use by certified professionals
The ending “.us” includes schools in the United States. Schools in other countries usually have two letter codes ending in their final domain name such as .ca for Canada, .uk for United Kingdom, etc.
Are Web Sites Reliable Sources?
Since anyone can create a web page, it is important that you do not believe everything you read on the web. Though many sites are very objective, as are many printed sources like books and newspapers, it is up to you to see if the web page is reliable and accurate. Follow these ABCs to decide if a web site is a good information source for your report:
Accuracy:
• Does the site identify printed material or a CD-ROM as its source?
• Can you verify the information in another reputable sites or in print?
• Is the author’s name on the page? Is the author an expert on the subject? If an organization does it have a good reputation?
• When was the page last updated? Accurate information must be current.
• Do all the links work and are they up-to-date?
Bias:
• Is the hostname .gov, .edu or .org? These sites are generally reliable. If the organization (.org) sponsoring the site has a good reputation, such as the American Medical Association, you can trust the information on that site. Domains such as .net, .mil and .com are more likely to host pages with a personal or commercial focus. The information found there is subjective, and you should verify it whenever possible.
• Does the site promote other products extensively? Some sites need commercial support, but too many ads may mean profit is more important than information.
• Does it try to convince you of a certain point of view?
Content:
• How complete is the information? Does it summarize or handle the subject in depth?
• Is the grammar and spelling correct? Do the site’s graphics and sounds make the site more useful? Is it easy to navigate?
• Can you contact the webmaster or author via e-mail for questions?
Watch for possible hoaxes on web sites. Some people create web pages that are tricks or spoofs. You should always confirm any information that seems questionable.
Complete Activity #2 Before Going On!
Complete Activity #3 Before Going On!
Once you have selected a valid site as a source, make sure you have a printed copy for a backup. Your teacher may check the site, and if it is not working at that moment, he/she may ask you to verify it. Your printed copy will prove the source is correct.
Strategies for Searching:
As a skillful web searcher you need to use a variety of techniques to find specific information on the Internet. When you perform a search, go to a major search engine such as Google or Yahoo. Carefully select the search terms to narrow your search. The more specific your search, the more precise the result list will be. Always use the following techniques in your search:
Stop words are words that search engines do not recognize in titles or text. They include articles, common adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions. Examples: a, about, an, and, are, as, at, be, by, from, how, I, in, is, it, of, on, or, that, the, this, to, we, what, when, where, which, with, etc.
Each search engine has a different list of stop words. What makes Google the best search engine is its ability to recognize stop words when they are surrounded by quotation marks. Examples: “Cat in the Hat” or “What you see is what you get.”
Use These Basic Searching Tips
When searching for a topic for a report or project, keep the following tips in mind:
• Be specific, and use nouns and objects as key words.
Examples: Hydroelectric power or Chernobyl disaster meltdown
• Put the important terms first in your keyword list; to make sure they will be searched, place a plus sign (+) in front of each word. Type a space before a + sign but not after. A minus sign (-) in front of a word will stop a word from being searched.
Example: +hybrid +electric +gas +automobiles -Ford
• Use at least two or three keywords in your query.
Example: bituminous coal electricity
• Use quotes around a phrase to narrow your search.
Example: “solar energy”
• Combine keywords into phrases
Example: “Seabrook nuclear power plant”
• Avoid common words such as “wastes” unless they are part of a phrase.
Example: “nuclear wastes”
• Think of the common phrases that contain the words you are searching for;
Example: alternative renewable energy sources
• Think of alternative words or phrases for your topic
Example: wind power windmills turbines
• Use the advanced search feature of the search engine to help narrow your search.
The advanced search will allow you to use multiple terms. Each search engine sets up its advanced search differently.
• Try the “Help” button for additional tips specific to the search engine you are using.
Complete Activity #4 Before Going On!
Viewing the “Invisible” Web:
Searching the “Invisible Web” is the best and easiest way to get reliable information quickly that you do not need to verify. Simply log on to the Pinkerton Library’s web page, and you can access the library’s databases containing thousands of sources that you can trust. Ninety-five percent of the information in these databases is taken directly from magazines, newspapers, journals or books. Library databases are the electronic sources your teachers recommend you use for research rather than searching on Google. At home you will need passwords that are listed on Edline after you log in. A printed password list is always available at the library as well.
On the library’s web page, click on “Online Subscription Databases.” Look at several of these resources on the list to get information:
Grolier Online and New Book of Popular Science (Encyclopedias)
EBSCO (general magazines and newspapers)
eLibrary Science (science magazines and ebooks)
Do you need some basic information or background on the topic to get started? Use the science encyclopedia in Grolier Online. For an article from a science magazine such as Science News that will have the newest information on your topic, use EBSCO or eLibrary Science. In EBSCO’s Advanced Search you can even select a particular magazine. Remember to use the same searching techniques that you would when searching Google. Quotation marks are not needed.
Example: Click on EBSCO, then Student Research Center. Type in “solar energy.” You can select the type of material you want or search all sources at once. Your results list will contain many article titles. In the advanced search you can select a particular magazine and date plus limit it to full-text articles. On your results list click on the title, and the article will appear. It can then be printed or e-mailed.
Check the other library’s subscription databases as well. They cover subjects from American History to Social Issues and Art and will be useful for many of your other classes. They all provide you with reliable information that is simple to find.
Complete Activity #5 Before Going On!
What if This Happens?
Your Search has Thousands of Documents:
You need to narrow down the search by adding more keywords. The more keywords that relate to your project the narrower the search will become.
Your Search Has Very Few Documents:
Your Search Returns a "404 -- File Not Found" Message:
Your Search Returns a “Server Does Not Have a DNS Entry” Message:
DNS means Domain Name System. Your browser can't locate the server (i.e. the computer that hosts the Web page). This could mean the network is busy, the server has been removed, or taken down for maintenance. Check your spelling and try again later.
Your Search Returns a "Server Error" or "Server is Busy" Message:
The server’s website maybe offline, may have crashed, or be very busy. Try again later.
Your Search Returns you to Your Home Page:
The Pinkerton Web Server has stopped you from going to the web site. You do not have permission to go that web site, as it may have material that the school considers inappropriate. Ask for help!
Author(s) (if known). Title of page. Date retrieved <URL of source>.
Example: Thy, Peter. Energy Utilization and Recovery of Agricultural Waste.
28 Aug. 2003 <http://www.geology.ucdavis.edu/~thy/Biomass.html>.
Author (if available). “Article title.” Institution responsible for site. Date publication
was last updated. Day, month, year of retrieval. <URL of source>.
Example: “Energy Efficiency in Schools.” Alliance to Save Energy. 26 August 2003.
1 Sept. 2003 <http://www.ase.org/educators/>.
Book
Author. Title. City: Publisher, Publication date. Day, month, year of retrieval
<URL of source>.
Example:
Gonyeau, Joseph, P.E. The Virtual Nuclear Tourist. 2001. 27 Aug. 2003
< http://www.nucleartourist.com/basics/why.htm>.
Author. “Title.” Name of publication Publication date. Date retrieved <URL of source>.
Example:
Stephenson, Wen. "The Rest Is Silence." Atlantic Unbound 16 Aug. 2000. 21
Aug. 2000 <http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/crosscurrents/cc2000-08-16.htm>.
LIBRARY DATABASES:
Encyclopedia and Magazine Article
Grolier Encyclopedias and the New Book of Popular Science
“Article title”. Name of encyclopedia. Location it was retrieved, Town/City, State. Day,
month, year of retrieval <URL of source>.
Example:
“Solar Energy.” Encyclopedia Americana . Pinkerton Academy 's Saltmarsh
Library, Derry, NH. 28 Aug. 2003 < http://go.grolier.com>.
EBSCOhost
Author. “Title.” Original source of article, date: page numbers. Name of database.
Location it was retrieved, Town/City, State. Day, month, year of retrieval <URL
of source>.
Example for EBSCOhost:
Tator, Charles, James D. Carson, and Robert Cushman. “Hockey injuries of the spine in
Canada, 1966-1996.” CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal Vol. 162 Issue 6, 3
May 2000: 787+. [Academic Elite]. EBSCO. Pinkerton Academy’s Saltmarsh Library,
Derry, NH. 17 Sept. 2002 < http://searchepnet.com>.
Now it's time to try what you have learned!
Complete Activity #6 to finish!
Activity #1:
Directions: You need some information for your project. Record how many documents you found on the following search engines. Your keywords are big bang.
Search engine Web site # of web sites listed
Google (http://www.google.com) _____________
Ask (http://www.ask.com) _____________
Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) _____________
Scirus (http://www.scirus.com) _____________
Clusty (http://clusty.com) _____________
The numbers of web sites can be overwhelming, but you can narrow them down by putting quotes around a term such as “wind energy.”
1. What did you notice when you put quotes around a term such as wind energy?
____________________________________________________________
2. Which search engine did you like?_________________________________
3. Why?________________________________________________________
Activity #2: Which web sites are reliable and which are hoaxes?
Click here for printable (.pdf) copy of this Activity.
Directions:
1. Type in any browser the following URL’s.
2. Place the title of the web site and write either true (reliable) or false (hoax).
3. Then give one reason why you think the web site is true or false by looking at the web site for accuracy, bias and content.
1. http://www.velcro.com
Title:________________________________________________________
Reliable or hoax?____________________________
Reason:_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. http://www.theonion.com/content/node/49180
Title:________________________________________________________
Reliable or hoax?____________________________
Reason:_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
3. http://buydehydratedwater.com
Title:________________________________________________________
Reliable or hoax?____________________________
Reason:_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
4. http://www.fs.fed.us
Title:______________________________________________________
Reliable or hoax?____________________________
Reason:_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_point
Title: __________________________________________________________
Reliable or hoax? ________________________________________________
Reason: ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Title: ___________________________________________________________
Reliable or hoax? __________________________________________________
Reason: __________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Activity #3
Click here for printable (.pdf) copy of this Activity.
Directions: Locate a web page from a search engine that will give you information on your report for class. Answer the following questions:
1. What is the web site address?
_________________________________________________________
2. Who sponsors this web site?__________________________________
3. Explain why the author is an expert or not?___________________________
__________________________________________________________
4. When was the web site last updated?____________________________
5. How many commercial advertisements are on this web site?__________
6. List the commercial advertisements found on the web site.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
7. Name three web links on this web site.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
7. Are the spelling and grammar correct?____________________________
8. Print the first page of this web site and attach it to this paper.
Activity #4: Using Your Search Strategies
Click here for printable (.pdf) copy of this Activity.
Directions: Select a search engine and place the number of searches found using the
following keywords. Don’t forget to use the basic searching tips!
Three Mile Island _______________
Three Mile Island 1979 _______________
Three Mile Island 1979 accident _______________
Three Mile Island 1979 accident meltdown _______________
Three Mile Island 1979 accident meltdown Pennsylvania _______________
With each successive search, you are narrowing the topic and should be retrieving fewer results.
Activity #5
Click here for printable (.pdf) copy of this Activity.
Directions: Log on to the library’s web page from the Pinkerton home page.
Search for your topic on each of the following databases.
Go to Grolier Online and select The New Book of Popular Science.
1. What is the title of the article about your subject?
_____________________________________________________________
2. How many links (if any) appear in the article?____________________
Go to eLibrary Science. Search for your topic.
3. How many articles are in the results list? ____________________________
4. What is the source (magazine title) of the first article?
_____________________________________________________________
5. When was the article published? ___________
Go to EBSCO and select Student Research Center (second on the list). Search for your topic.
6. How many articles are in the results list? ____________________________
7. What is the source (magazine title) of the first article?__________________
8. When was the article published? ___________
Now It’s Time to Try Out What You Learned
Click here for printable (.pdf) copy of this Activity.
Directions: Your project needs information for your report.
1. What 3 key words would you use for your first search?
___________________ __________________ ___________________
2. What search engine do you plan to use? _____________________________
3. What could you place in front of each keyword to narrow your search further?
_______________________________________________________________
4. What could you put around each keyword to narrow your search even more.
________________________________________________________________
5. Which library databases would you search in?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. Where did you find the most articles? ____________________________