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Evaluating General Web Search Tools: Which are Best?
Description
The purpose of this lesson is to help students use web search tools - search engines and directories - most effectively so that they retrieve good information. This may be introduced once students have a topic statement or research question developed.
Learning Outcomes I Suggested Procedure I Assessment for this Lesson
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Materials for this Online
lesson: |
Time allotment: 95 minutes (1 hr., 35 mins.)
Information Literacy Standard: 1.The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively. 2.The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently. |
Students will understand and differentiate
between general and subject-search engines/directories.
Students will be able to critically evaluate search tools in order to select
the best search engine/directory for their search needs.
Students will identify criteria for good web search tools.
Tell students that they are going
to look at several search engines and evaluate whether they would be good search
tools.
Go to Yahoo( http://www.yahoo.com ). In the search query box, type in the phrase search engines.
As you scroll down through the list, tell students that there are general
search engines that will search many topics and focused search engines that
search for specific subjects.
Student Work
Go over the purpose and directions for the Evaluating Search Tools Worksheet.
Purpose: To help students become familiar with several search engines and to
help them think critically about them so they can decide which are better for
their search needs.
After each group completes the worksheet, they must present their findings
to the class. In this way, the class will learn the basics for searching a number
of major search engines.
Alternative Procedure: In situations where there are limited computers for student use, the search tool worksheet can be completed by groups (4-6 students) over several days. Then, the class may come together as a whole to discuss the features of their search engine and as a class, create the rubric.
As a class, students create a rubric
for evaluating search engines. The rubric is taken from the features and elements
the students were asked to evaluate.
Better search engines*: Google, Altavista, Northernlight, Hotbot
Average search engines: Direct Hit, Go.com
*Note to Teacher: Based on reviews of search engines and
directories, these are better.
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This page was last updated February 19, 2002 This lesson was created to support the AT&T/UCLA Initiatives for 21st Century Literacies. Evaluating General Web Search Tools: Which are Best? was created by Stephanie Brasley |