If you are searching for information on a general topic, a subject directory site makes it easy to find high quality results. A directory provides a series of menus that you make selections from to refine your search. Yahoo provides a directory and there are many others.
When you use a search engine like Google, you must type in keywords or phrases in a search box. Each search engine has slightly different ways of interpreting what you type in the search box. For example, when you use the Google search engine:
Google defaults to AND. If you enter the search query cloning "stem cell" Google will return pages that include both the word cloning and the phrase stem cell. Words inside of quotes have to be found exactly as they appear. Searches are not case-sensitive.
Google ignores connecting words like how, when, the and also digits and single letters. If those are important to your search you can put a + sign in front or use a phrase match with double quotes.
Google uses a minus sign - to exclude a word or phrase from the results. To find pages about cloning that DO NOT mention stem cells you would enter: cloning -"stem cell"
If you use a tilda ~ in front of a word, Google will find synonyms, or words with the same meaning. If you wanted to search for pages relating to electronic surveillance (observation, scrutiny, watching) at airports: airport electronic ~surveillance
If you connect search words or phrases with OR, Google will find pages that include either one of the words. The search phrase Dachshund OR "wiener dog" will return pages that contain either the word Dachshund or the phrase wiener dog (or both in one page). OR must be in upper case letters.
The search engine pages always have a help link where you can find information and examples for building your search queries. They also have an Advanced Search page where you can fill in boxes to construct a query.
1. The Librarian's Internet Index is a useful directory to information about many topics.
Go to the subject directory http://lii.org and click the link for Internet under Computers.
Click the link for Internet Guides and Search Tools. Then click the link for Internet Searching. A list of helpful sites about searching appears.
Click Next until you see the link for "Information Literacy: Search Strategies: Choose the Best Search Engine for Your Information Need."
Click the link and look at the information.
Under the "I need a topic" heading, click Societal Issues.
a. Choose one of the topics from the list and click it. What was the topic?
b. Follow a link for that topic. What is the name of the web site?
c. Describe what you find there.
2. Transactions you make while shopping on the Internet are generally safe because they are encrypted (scrambled). The danger is when your information is stolen from the company's database by an outside hacker or an inside employee.
Go to the search engine part of the LITA (Library Information and Technology Association) wiki at http://wikis.ala.org/lita/index.php/Metasearch_Engines_and_Search_Engine_Collections .
Choose one of the metasearch engine links. Do a search to find a recent (published or updated within the last 6 months) web page related to theft of personal data. Refine your search so you don't get very many useless or unrelated results. Remember to include only words that are the most critical to your search.
a. What is your search query?
b. Go to one of the results link and summarize what is says.
*** add more - relate to issue and conclusion work ***
Type your answers into a Word document called and upload it to Module 3 Participation Credit in Tasks, Tests and Surveys.