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Learning Goal
- Students will understand how search engines work.
- Students will be able to perform better search using filters, operators, and other search tools.
The Internet is the main tool we use when researching, and for most people, that means Google. While it may be the biggest, Google isn't the only game in town. Bing and DuckDuckGo are two alternatives. Regardless of which search engine you use, there are tricks available that will help you get better information from searches.
In class we will focus on using Google, but some of these tips work on other search engines too.
Picking the Right Search Terms - Lesson material on keeping searches simple and turning questions into searches
- What parts of a search matter
- Example questions
Search Engines as Fast As Possible - Evolution of search
How Search Works - Video describing how Google's search engine works
How Search Works Page - An interactive Google Web page describing how search works
The Assignment
Create a new Google Document and title it Picking the Right Search Terms. Copy and paste the directions and questions from the link below. Read and follow the directions. Make sure to bold or highlight your answers.
Filters & Operators
There are two main tools we can use to get better searches, filters and operators. When we do a search we get a large amount of info. Our goal is to use these tools to narrow or shrink the results down.
Narrowing Search to Get Better Results - In class we will cover the information from this link and add some others to the mix
Filters
Filters are tools built into the search engine to help get better results. The filters we will look at are:
- Time
- Trends
- Image color
- Image size
- Image usage rights
Operators
Operators are specific words or characters we type into our search to help get better results. The operators we will look at are:
- "" (quotation marks)
- - (minus sign)
- site:
Here is a video that shows you how to use these operators.
Example:
"social media" technology aup site:.us
In class we will cover how to take screen shots, or a picture of your devices screen. These can be used in projects or to save info.
The Assignment
Create a new Google Document and title it Operators and Filters Guide. Copy and paste the directions and questions from the link below. Read and follow the directions. Make sure to bold or highlight your answers.
There is a reason Google's the biggest name in search. They have built a number of helpful tools into their search engine.
- Definition
- Calculator
- Conversion
- Weather
Google's Advanced Search page includes many of the operators we just learned about.
They also like to keep things fun. In class we'll look up some "Google Demo Slam" videos.
Research involves looking up info, reading, and finding the answers to questions. We will practice this in the following assignment.
Hint: When looking for info, it can be helpful to search on a page or document using Ctrl + F
Hint 2: Right clicking on a link and choosing 'Open in a new tap' might be helpful
The Assignment
Use your new search skills to complete the following internet scavenger hunt. Create a new Google Document and name it Internet Scavenger Hunt. Find the answers to the questions from the link, make sure to bold or highlight your answers.
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