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21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching* Carl Heine, Ph.D. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy *the ability to locate credible information effectively and efficiently 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Translating a question into a query Verifying the credibility of information Finding better keywords Choosing the best database Recognizing information that’s relevant 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Search Challenge: What toy models a construction principle that can reduce damage from earthquakes? 8 Minutes Advanced Search 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Search Challenge Questions: What did you look for? Where did you look? What did you find? Advanced Search 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Our Findings: What “digital natives” don’t do particularly well What they tend to do instead Turn a question into a query Rush ahead toward an answer, either grabbing the whole question “as is” or missing an important part of it Choose the right database Enter words or phrases into Google Recognize relevant information when they find it Rush past important information and clues, continue to browse Find better keywords as they search Stick with their original words and browse Verify the credibility of information Accept what they find at face value, hoping somewhere in the information there is an answer 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Our Findings: What “digital natives” don’t do particularly well What they tend to do instead Turn a question into a query Rush ahead toward an answer, either grabbing the whole question “as is” or missing an important part of it Choose the right database Enter words or phrases into Google Recognize relevant information when they find it Rush past important information and clues, continue to browse Find better keywords as they search Stick with their original words and browse Verify the credibility of information Accept what they find at face value, hoping somewhere in the information there is an answer 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search 1.Translating a question into a query Starts with a question or a problem to solve. Task: Translate a natural language question or statement into language that is understood by a search engine. Search engines differ in how they process queries, but for the most part, what works on one big commercial search engine tends to work on the others. Search engines perform a variety of literal matching functions with Boolean and special operators. 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search 1.Translating a question into a query Which of the following is the most effective query for 'find the top speed of earth's fastest animal'? speed fastest animal what is earth’s fastest animal top speed earth’s fastest animal 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search 2. Selecting an adequate database This failure occurs before submitting the first query. Task: Predict where expert information may be found. No search engine performs a live Internet search when you submit a query. (Otherwise, how could they come back with a page that’s not found?) That which is stored in one search engine’s database is invisible to another search engine (also called the Deep Web or Enterprise Data) 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search 3. Recognizing relevant information This failure occurs when a student looks at the results returned by a search engine. Task: Match findings with expectations, evaluate relevance Information on the Internet is not always found in predictable places. Computers are made for speed, which encourages haste. Hyperlinks and graphics can be distracting. 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search 4. Finding better keywords This failure occurs throughout the search process: before the initial query is submitted and as students look at the results returned by a search engine. Task: Select and try increasingly specific keywords Frequently, effective keywords go unnoticed in snippets. Effective searching is highly dependent on keyword selection (as important as reading) 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search 5. Evaluating credibility This failure occurs after information has been located. Task: Check the credibility of the information and its source Typically, students forego this decision altogether and uncritically accept whatever information they found. Depending on which database the information was taken from, information may be unedited, unendorsed and inaccurate. 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Question to query checklist 1. How many key concepts (important ideas) are found in the question? 2. How many key concepts will I search for? 3. What keywords are probably effective “as is?” 4. For which concepts are more effective keywords probably needed? 5. Are there hyponyms or professional language for any of the intermediate words? 6. Are there words that have multiple meanings? 7. Did I use any stop words or clutter words? 8. Did I spell the words correctly? 9. Did I put the most important words first? 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Try it: What is the top speed of earth’s fastest animal? 1. How many key concepts (important ideas) are found in the question? 2. How many key concepts will I search for? 3. What keywords are probably effective “as is?” 4. For which concepts are more effective keywords probably needed? 5. Are there hyponyms or professional language for any of the intermediate words? 6. Are there words that have multiple meanings? 7. Did I use any stop words or clutter words? 8. Did I spell the words correctly? 9. Did I put the most important words first? 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Keyword Challenge tutorials 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Choose the best database 1. What person would know the answer I am looking for? 2. Where would I find that expert? 3. Use Google/Yahoo to get there and then use the proprietary search engine to go farther. 4. To find a relevant database use keywords like DATABASE, ARCHIVE, INFORMATION in combination with subject matter keywords. 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Database Challenge tutorials 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Recognize relevant information 1. Practice effective scanning 2. Read snippets carefully: Snippet Sleuth 3. Use the FIND Command Gold Rush Challenges 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Find better keywords while you search 1. Practice with snippets and thesaurus: Soccer Challenge II 2. Practice with snippets: Soccer Challenge III, Snippet Sleuth 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Sift information to verify Credibility Source of the Information: Author, Publisher, External validation of content: Links to this site from other sites Technique - link: http://www.edutopia.org The Information itself: Date, Accuracy, Evidence Use it? Or Lose it? 21cif.imsa.edu •Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Advanced Search Five Keys to Power Searching Free online resources 21cif.imsa.edu (information fluency) Full Circle Resource Kits