TEN STEPS FOR BETTER RESEARCH
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This document outlines 10 steps for effective web research presented by Dulcinea Media. It summarizes research showing students rely entirely on Google and do not evaluate sources. The 10 steps include: searching beyond search engines; using keywords and advanced search; thinking critically about results; finding primary sources; evaluating authors, publishers, dates and reasons for publication. The document advocates teaching broad research concepts and strategies over specific tools to improve students' web literacy and evaluation skills.
TEN STEPS FOR BETTER RESEARCH
- 1. Teaching the Ten Steps to Better Web Research By Mark E. Moran & Shannon A. Firth Dulcinea Media
- 2. Links to studies & articles discussed are at the end of this presentation and at http://bit.ly/teachtensteps The PowerPoint version may be found at www.SlideShare.net/SweetSearch
- 3. Dulcinea Media provides free content & tools that help educators teach students how to use the Internet effectively. More about us and our products: http://www.DulcineaMedia.com Check out SweetSearch, A Search Engine for Students www.SweetSearch.com Sign-up for our free daily newsletter: http://www.findingdulcinea.com/info/newsletter.html Follow us on Twitter: @findingDulcinea & @findingEdu
- 4. βIt is very likely that our studentsβ brains have physically changedβ and are different from ours β as a result of how they grew up.β 1 -- Marc Prensky
- 7. So, are βdigital nativesβ experts at searching the Web?
- 8. β’ After a year long information literacy program, most fifth grade students continued to rely entirely on Google and βnever questioned the reliability of the websites they accessed.β 2 -- Vrije University Netherlands
- 9. β’ Even when high school students found a good source they did not recognize it and instead launched a new search. A high level of browsing is carried on at the expense of thinking and planning. 3 -- Shu Hsien L. Chen
- 10. β’ βElectronic media can βoverwhelm youth with information that they may not have the skills or experience to evaluate.β And literacy skills overlap with safety skills. 4 -- Harvardβs Berkman Center for Internet & Society, March 2010
- 11. β’ Students without access to librarians teaching Web research skills show up at college βbeyond hopeββ¦.βthey have learned to βget byβ with Google.β 5 -- University College London
- 12. β’ Not one of the 600 college students surveyed "could give an adequate conceptual definition of how Google returns resultsβ¦.the word βmagicβ came up a lot.β 6 --ERIAL study (Illinois)
- 13. In 2010 Dulcinea Media Surveyed 300 middle school and high school students in New York.
- 14. How do you begin your search? β’ Almost half of middle school students chose βI type a question.β
- 15. If a search doesnβt give you good results...
- 16. ... what do you do next? β’ I try another search engine. β’ I try different keywords but if I still can't find an answer, I just think real hard for an answer. β’ I focus on the encyclopedia.
- 17. I punch the screen. Just kidding, LOL.
- 18. How do you decide if an online article is a good source to use for a school report?
- 19. Itβs a good sourceβ¦. β’ if it has the information I need then itβs good for me. β’ if it sounds good, I know itβs right, and it has good vocab.
- 20. Actual Answer: βI donβt know. I just go with it.β
- 21. How often do you check the author of an article?
- 22. β’ About 2/3 of students βrarely or neverβ check the author.
- 23. βIt doesnβt really matter who wrote it.β..β
- 24. How often do you check to see when an article was written or last updated?
- 25. β’ Half of high school students and about 3/4 of middle school students say they βrarely or neverβ check the date of an article.
- 26. I canβt find it.
- 27. In Conclusionβ¦. A majority of students: ο donβt know how to form a sound search query; ο donβt have a strategy for dealing with poor results; ο canβt articulate how they know content is credible; ο donβt check the author or date of an article.
- 29. WEβRE LOST
- 30. Improving Internet skills starts with educators
- 31. βStudents see educators modeling an effective research process and learn from it.β -Colette Cassinelli librarian/ technology teacher Portland, OR
- 32. βLibrarians must be able to retool and stay ahead of teachers and students -Joyce Valenza media specialist Springfield Township, PA
- 33. Recognizing reliable sources + consider infinite options + Understanding intellectual property rights + Engaging modern audiences with conclusions = EFFECTIVE USE OF THE WEB
- 34. Models & Resources for Web Research β’ Review the Big6 model.7 β’ Share the Ergo search model with students. 8 β’ Teach Ten Steps for Better Web Research. http://www.SweetSearch.com/TenSteps
- 35. How Do Effective Researchers Behave? β’ Start general with several keywords β’ Try new combinations in a systemic manner β’ Use more precise, or even natural language. 9 β’ Look well beyond the first few results, and return often to favorite, reliable sites.
- 36. No Quick Fix β’ Effective web research skills cannot be learned in a week, a semester, or a year. β’ They must be taught year-round, throughout primary school years, and can be mastered only as students mature and gain experience.
- 37. A New Approach? β’ Authors of ERIAL study: teach broad concepts and strategies, not use of specific tools.
- 38. "Unless we can demonstrate some measurable payoff to searching, students arenβt going to do it.β 6 - Lisa Rose-Wiles librarian Seton Hall University
- 39. βUse better interfaces and more sophisticated indexing methods to nudge students, incrementally, toward competence.β 6 - Casper Grathwohl Oxford University Press
- 40. Step 1: Where to Search β’ The Internet may not be the best place to start; databases may help you find what youβre seeking far faster.
- 41. Step 1: Where to Search β’ Donβt count on search engines to do all the work for you. Ask a librarian or teacher to recommend individual sites. β’ Use student-friendly tools for aggregating your own favorite sites. e.g. Symbaloo or Diigo.
- 42. Step 1: Where to Search β’ Give students a list of 10 sites; include two poor sources. β’ Students must defend their sources and point out weak links. - Michelle Baldwin Vocal Music Teacher Omaha, NE
- 43. Step 2: Try Several Search Engines β’ Suggest a two-week βGoogle Holidayβ to lessen dependency. β’ Introduce meta-search engines (eg. Zuula). More about search engines: http://bit.ly/bO7FbB
- 44. Step 2: Try Several Search Enginesβ¦.. β’ SweetSearch searches 35,000 websites that research experts have evaluated and approved. β’ SweetSearch4Me features sites for emerging learners. β’We created these, yet donβt use them exclusivelyβ we use the full range of resources.
- 45. Step 3: Dig deep for the best results β’ Many websites rank high for reasons unrelated to the quality of their content. β’ Professionals and academics donβt practice Search Engine Optimization. β’ Donβt stop at the first page!!
- 46. Step 3: Dig deepβ¦. β’ Google and other search engines optimize their results for adults, who want to know βwhat happened today.β Google recently promised to deliver β50% fresherβ results. β’ For school research, βfresherβ is not usually better.
- 47. Step 3: Dig deepβ¦. β’ With Yolink users can browse search results in context without opening them. ALL educators and students should use it. β’ Integrated into SweetSearch, Yolink can be used on other sites through a browser add-on. β’SweetSearch = βbetter indexing,β Yolink = βbetter interfaceβ suggested by Oxford University Press.
- 48. Step 4: Think Before You Search βIf you donβt know where youβre going, youβll probably end up somewhere else.β - Yogi Berra
- 49. β’ Define your task. β’ Have students rewrite assignments in their own words. - Angela Maiers education consultant Maiers Education Services Step 4: Think Before You Search
- 50. Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You β’ Connectors AND and OR can be moderately effective. β’ Quotation marks are a critical tool students should know when to use. β’ But advanced search options are the best way to mandate or exclude certain words.
- 51. Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You β’ Learn the AROUND function. β’ Search βKennedy" AROUND(10) βmoonβ and the top results will be ones in which Kennedy appears within ten words of moon. β’NOTE: both search terms must be in quotes, AROUND must be capitalized, and the number must be in parentheses.
- 52. Step 5: Make Search Engines Work for You β’ As you search, add new keywords. β’ Avoid βloopingβ by documenting your search with a bookmarking tool, or keep a written record.
- 53. Step 6: Donβt Believe Everything You Read Students should think like a detective. β’A dose of healthy skepticism is required. β’Information is only as good as its source. β’ No single element determines credibility. β’ALWAYS verify critical information with several sources.
- 54. Step 7: Find Primary Sources β’Think of primary sources such as photos, diaries and newspapers as βeyewitness accountsβ β which are generally more reliable than second-hand information. More: http://bit.ly/6CnTrq
- 55. Step 7: Looking at the Original Source? β’ If you suspect a site may not be the original source of information, google a key phrase. β’ If the phrase appears on another site, evaluate the credibility of that site. More: http://bit.ly/9k6a2v
- 56. Step 8: Who Published the Article? β’ Do editors or experts review the information? Is it thorough? β’ Do the author and publisher have a well- established reputation? Search their names in a search engine.
- 57. Step 8: Who Published the Article? β’ If the site does not provide the name of the publisher and its editors you cannot rely on it. β’ Even if it βlooks good or sounds good.β
- 58. Step 8: Who Published the Article? β’ See 10 Reasons Why Students Canβt Cite Wikipedia. More: http://bit.ly/dlxX6i
- 59. Step 8: Who Published the Article? β’ Assessing the top level domain (.com. .gov, .org, .edu) is not as useful as commonly believed. β’ Be wary of sites containing words like "free/discount/best/your/Web.β β’ Be critical of sites where advertisements blend with content.
- 60. Step 9: Why Was the Article Written? β’ Always ask, βwhy did the writer write this?β β’ Is the site trying to sell you something? β’ Does the site have any social or political biases? Eg. WhiteHouse.gov is not a neutral source for information on U.S. Presidents.
- 61. Step 9: Why Was the Article Written? β’ Many websites that appear to offer valid information but were created for another purpose. β’More: http://bit.ly/9dzELE
- 62. Step 10: When was information written or last revised? β’ Determine when an article was published or last updated. β’ If you canβt, then confirm the currency of the information elsewhere. β’ Use a news search engine, add the current year as a search term, or Advanced Search Options to restrict dates (imperfect). More: http://bit.ly/9dzELE
- 63. The End? Yes, but itβs only the beginning of our efforts to help educators teach students how to use the Web effectively. We will offer versions of the Ten Steps for emerging learners, and lesson plans and videos. Sign-up for our newsletter to be kept updated on our progress. http://www.findingdulcinea.com/info/newsletter.html
- 64. Works Cited: 1. Prensky, Marc. βDigital Natives, Digital Immigrantsβ : On the Horizon. NCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001 2. Els Kuiper, Monique Volman and Jan Terwel. βStudents' use of Web literacy skills and strategies: searching, reading and evaluating Web information.β Information Research: Vol. 13, No.3, (September, 2008.http://www.informationr.net/ir/13-3/paper351.html 3. Shu-Hsien L. Chen. βSearching the Online Catalog and the World Wide Web.β Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences, 41 1 (September 2003) 29-43 4. On βEmpowering Parents and Protecting Children in an Evolving Media landscapeβ Berkman Center for Internet & Society. February 24, 2010. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/5951 5. UCL. βInformation behavior of the researcher of the futureβ: 11 January 2008. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/reppres/gg_final_keynote_11012008.pdf 6. Steve Kolowich, Searching for Better Research Habits, Inside Higher Ed, September 29, 2010 http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/09/29/search (contβd)
- 65. Works Cited: 7. Eisenberg, Mike. βWhat is the Big 6.β The Big 6: Information & Technology Skills for Student Achievement, (1997) http://www.big6.com/what-is-the-big6/ 8. βResearch Skills.β State Library of Victoria. Ergo. (2010) http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ergo/research_skills 9. Media Post: Google Research Focuses on Search Failures, September 21, 2010 http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=136114&nid=118854 10. Kasman Valenza, Joyce. βPowerSearching 501β: Springfield Township High School Library http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/jvles.html
- 66. Dulcinea Media Links: Dulcinea Media: http://dulcineamedia.com/ Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/researchhighschool SweetSearch 10 Steps: http://www.SweetSearch.com/TenSteps Yolink: http://www.yolinkeducation.com/education/ SweetSearch: http://www.SweetSearch.com SweetSearch4Me: http://www.SweetSearch4Me.com Search Engines http://bit.ly/bO7FbB Primary Sources: http://bit.ly/6CnTrq Original Source? http://bit.ly/9k6a2v Canβt Cite Wikipedia: http://bit.ly/dlxX6i Who? http://bit.ly/9dzELE Why? http://bit.ly/aTfAPo When? http://bit.ly/cZDEig