Online Searching Tips Presentation by Mindy McAdams University of Florida Links to all resources are on one page (click this text)

What You Don’t Know About

1. Start simple

Google’s Advanced Search

Google Lessons Google Help Center http://www.google.com/help/basics.html Advanced Search http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

Google Help Center

http://www.google.com/help/basics.html

Advanced Search

http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

Better Google Searches Exclude a word, with a minus sign Pages in the results list will not have that word Example: telephone –mobile Limit all results to one site Example: scholarships site:ufl.edu Find pages that link to a specified page Example: link:www.crimelibrary.com –site:crimelibrary.com

Exclude a word, with a minus sign

Pages in the results list will not have that word

Example: telephone –mobile

Limit all results to one site

Example: scholarships site:ufl.edu

Find pages that link to a specified page

Example: link:www.crimelibrary.com –site:crimelibrary.com

Can you trust this site?

Answer These Questions Who provided this information? What tells me for sure it came from that source? Who is that source, really? Do they have a bias or an agenda? When was this last updated? Is it too old to trust?

Who provided this information?

What tells me for sure it came from that source?

Who is that source, really?

Do they have a bias or an agenda?

When was this last updated?

Is it too old to trust?

Investigate the Source Look for an “About” page Look for a date; be vigilant if it is today’s date! (That probably does not mean it was updated today) Google the full name (in quotes) of the person or organization whose name appears on the page (as author) E-mail or phone the source!

Look for an “About” page

Look for a date; be vigilant if it is today’s date! (That probably does not mean it was updated today)

Google the full name (in quotes) of the person or organization whose name appears on the page (as author)

E-mail or phone the source!

Original Domains .com .net .org .edu .gov .mil .int In the 1980s, seven generic top-level domains ( TLDs ) were created for the Internet. Domain names may be registered in three of these (.com, .net and .org) without restriction . The other four have limited purposes. Source -- http://www.icann.org/tlds/

.com

.net

.org

.edu

.gov

.mil

.int

“New” Domains .biz .info .name .pro .aero .coop .museum Seven additional TLDs were introduced in 2001 and 2002. Four of the new TLDs (.biz, .info, .name and .pro) are unsponsored . The other three new TLDs (.aero, .coop and .museum) are sponsored . Source -- http://www.icann.org/tlds/

.biz

.info

.name

.pro

.aero

.coop

.museum

Country Code Domains .us .mx .ca .cn .in .ch .tv < ??? Known as country code top-level domains ( ccTLDs ) these are controlled by the registrars of the individual countries. Look them up at iana.org

.us

.mx

.ca

.cn

.in

.ch

.tv < ???

Country Code Domains .us .mx .ca .cn .in .ch .tv < Tuvalu Population: 11,810 (July 2006 est.)

.us

.mx

.ca

.cn

.in

.ch

.tv < Tuvalu

.tv > Tuvalu

Open Directory & The Wayback Machine

Open Directory (dmoz)

Open Directory (dmoz)

Open Directory (dmoz)

Open Directory (dmoz)

Open Directory (dmoz)

Open Directory vs. Google

Open Directory vs. Google

Internet Archive / Wayback Machine

Internet Archive / Wayback Machine

Wayback Machine: NYTimes 1996

Wayback Machine: NYTimes 1999

Wayback Machine: NYTimes 2001

Other Great Starting Places for Online Research

PowerReporting.com

CIA World Factbook

CIA World Factbook

Wikipedia: Not What You Think

Wikipedia: Links at the Bottom!

Wikipedia: More Links!

Health info: NIH, CDC, WHO

Blog Searches

Search in: Blog posts

Scan results for interest

Scan results for interest

Open blog post and scan it

Open blog post and scan it

Benefit from blogger’s expertise

Benefit from blogger’s expertise

Google Blog Search

Results Sorted by Relevance

Results Sorted by Date

Using blogs to find good info Who is the blogger? What are his or her qualifications? These matter if you want to quote the blogger (as an authority) However, if the blog simply points you to another site … And that site turns out to be great …

Who is the blogger?

What are his or her qualifications?

These matter if you want to quote the blogger (as an authority)

However, if the blog simply points you to another site …

And that site turns out to be great …

You can trust the Internet … … if you use your powers of critical thinking! If it looks “sketchy,” unprofessional – then be very skeptical! If it looks okay, check out the source! Go behind the scenes Find out who wrote it Find out who sponsored it Find out how old it is

… if you use your powers of critical thinking!

If it looks “sketchy,” unprofessional – then be very skeptical!

If it looks okay, check out the source!

Go behind the scenes

Find out who wrote it

Find out who sponsored it

Find out how old it is

Thank You! Presentation by Mindy McAdams University of Florida Links to all resources are on one page (click this text)