Introduction

I.                   The Top 4 reasons…

II.                Tools for comparing and evaluating search engines

III.            Livonia’s subscription databases

IV.               Full-Text

V.                   Specialty databases

VI.               Current Events

VII.            They’re going to use it anyway…

 

 

• Demonstration:  top five reasons to NOT use search engines

1. BESS filter: filtered sites:  all image databases. 
2. Misinformation

• biased: www.whitehouse.gov

• malicious: The number 3 Google result for a search on Martin Luther King is: http://www.martinlutherking.org/, an unbelievably nasty hate site.

• amateur: http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/ht1.htm

• spoof: 

  .       http://www.dhmo.org

          2

3. Because of how some search engines work

2.       Google bombs: “Miserable failure”

4. Because of how students search

1.        most people never go beyond the first page of results.  Newspaper analogy:  below the fold.  Today: below the scroll.

2.       students are very literal searchers:  if the question says “facts about beluga whales” they may type in just that.  Show search.   Show google search on... http://www.idiotica.com/encyclopedia/content/Beluga.htm 

5. Hits on sites you don’t want students to see:

1.        show Using yahoo.com for info on Ernest Hemingway:  top result is a website where kids can buy ready-made papers.

2.       Remember that even though BESS blocks these at school, kids searching at home will see these sites. 

• Tools for comparing & evaluating search engines

Evaluation Tool	Description
www.mrsapo.com	Try comparing searches on research topics you give to your students.
www.twingine.com	Allows you to see the two biggest search engines operating side-by-side
http://searchenginewatch.com/	A great website with in-depth reviews of search engines and how they work.
www.n2h2.com	URL checker from BESS
http://searchenginewatch.com/links/article.php/2156191	A nice article on search engines designed for children.

 

• Livonia subscription databases
• Definition: a searchable website, with information coming from a single reliable source.
• Demonstration: 
• go to Primary Library webpage, click on “research databases.” 
• Show set-up of the page. 
• Show links on other library pages.  Be sure to use links from your library pages.  Statistics are recorded!
• You may hand out copies of the passwords for the appropriate building to your students, and you may post them in the lab, classroom, etc.  The only thing you may NOT do is post them on the ‘Net. 
• Tools
• Set reading level:  Searchasaurus and TOPICsearch.
• Saving a bibliography in Jr. Edition and in TOPICsearch:  using search on__________
• Grolier’s Lands and Peoples:  show features, including “Culture Cross.”
• Activity:  side by side table
• Ashanti search in “Lands and peoples” versus askjeeves for kids.
• Images search in Searchasaurus and EBSCO host TopicSearch.
• Full-text magazines: demonstrate TopicSearch and Jr. Infotrac
• Definition:  complete articles, citations, etc.
• Demonstration:  show J.K. Rowling search in “
• Tools
• Specialty databases
• Science & math 
• Galileo Galilei
• Language arts
• History
• Boston
• Health
• Search “anorexia” on mrsapo (look at aol:  second hit is for weightloss plan.
• Business:  Infotrac Business:  search on Google
• Authors & artists:  Twayne Authors:  compare J.R.R. Tolkien on google and in Twayne Authors.
• Current Events
• (Google News formats)
• Current Events full-text
• Activity:  play with GoogleNews
• Play with InfoTrac
• Create a MyEBSCOhost folder
• Because they’re going to use the web anyway… 
• Teach them to EVALUATE
• Teach them to cite correctly: Noodlebibs, citations on Jr. Ed. and Topicsearch.
• Teach them to find it fast.
• “find” on page: 
• Activity:  use “find it” to locate info

 

FOLDER

Wellness center bookmark

Article on databases from Forbes magazine

Evaluation checklist and tools

Database passwords