“ We never seek things for themselves--what we seek is the very seeking of things.” Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

Creating a Research Protocol for Secondary Students Harry Coffill-Librarian, EGR Middle School Susan McCaffrey-District Library Co-Ordinator EGR Public Schools

Harry Coffill-Librarian, EGR Middle School

Susan McCaffrey-District Library

Co-Ordinator EGR Public Schools

How many times have you heard a teacher say, “Just Google it?” to a student? Do you know what a Googol is?

Do you know what a Googol is?

A googol (10 100 ) is a very big number 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

Why are we encouraging students to look for needles in haystacks?

Search engines are phone books Search engines are great for finding movie times, travel help, social networking, etc. Search engines SHOULD NOT be our first stop for educational research. Would you be comfortable if your doctor looked up information for your treatment on Yahoo? HOW TO REMOVE AN APPENDIX

Search engines are great for finding movie times, travel help, social networking, etc.

Search engines SHOULD NOT be our first stop for educational research.

Would you be comfortable if your doctor looked up information for your treatment on Yahoo?

HOW TO REMOVE AN APPENDIX

Misconceptions Kids have been using the Internet “since birth” and don’t need instruction Many students have been “roaming the playground” for so long they’ve picked up very bad habits. Search engines, free and uncomplicated, can provide all answers Search engines are incredibly complicated when searchers don’t know what they’re looking for. “ The kids know more than I do” No. They don’t.

Kids have been using the Internet “since birth” and don’t need instruction

Many students have been “roaming the playground” for so long they’ve picked up very bad habits.

Search engines, free and uncomplicated, can provide all answers

Search engines are incredibly complicated when searchers don’t know what they’re looking for.

“ The kids know more than I do”

No. They don’t.

Skills that college freshmen need “ Students [have] a lack of understanding of how to interpret material - what's good, what's not good. They are not clear on ethical issues of how to cite. They don't know that it is not appropriate to steal clip art. They may have been taught that there are copyright rules, but the concept of intellectual property hasn't sunk in. Most believe if it's this easy, it must be OK.“ Catherine Schifter, associate professor in Temple University's department of curriculum http://joycevalenza.com/skillsart.html

“ Students [have] a lack of understanding of how to interpret material - what's good, what's not good. They are not clear on ethical issues of how to cite. They don't know that it is not appropriate to steal clip art. They may have been taught that there are copyright rules, but the concept of intellectual property hasn't sunk in. Most believe if it's this easy, it must be OK.“

Catherine Schifter, associate professor in Temple University's department of curriculum

“ Students perceive themselves to be technology-savvy because they can fiddle with hardware, have mastered video games, can download songs…But things that you or I would take for granted, such as understanding an advanced search screen or even being able to use an OPAC completely bewilder them.“ Stephen Bell, director of the Paul H. Gutman Library at the Philadelphia University Skills that college freshmen need http://joycevalenza.com/skillsart.html

“ Students perceive themselves to be technology-savvy because they can fiddle with hardware, have mastered video games, can download songs…But things that you or I would take for granted, such as understanding an advanced search screen or even being able to use an OPAC completely bewilder them.“

Stephen Bell, director of the Paul H. Gutman Library at the Philadelphia University

What do we want a student to do? The process is not about “getting the answer” The process SHOULD BE about finding the correct path to the answer

The process is not about “getting the answer”

The process SHOULD BE about finding the correct path to the answer

Key Skills for Student Research “What do we want students to do?” STUDENTS SHOULD DO THESE STEPS BEFORE BEGINNING ONLINE RESEARCH!

“What do we want students to do?”

STUDENTS SHOULD DO THESE STEPS BEFORE BEGINNING ONLINE RESEARCH!

Plan Research Take the time to write down search terms Look at overviews in print resources first Can a student define “What am I researching?” Can the material be found in an index, almanac, or encyclopedia?

Take the time to write down search terms

Look at overviews in print resources first

Can a student define “What am I researching?”

Can the material be found in an index, almanac, or encyclopedia?

Create Terms for Boolean Research Have the right vocabulary for your search Do students know how to correctly phrase their search? Synonyms Broad to specific Train students to use specific terms

Have the right vocabulary for your search

Do students know how to correctly phrase their search?

Synonyms

Broad to specific

Train students to use specific terms

Database Searches MEL Subscription Based Searches Use your library home-page or blog as the “home base” for your research Library home pages can be tailored to reflect in-school curriculum

MEL

Subscription Based Searches

Use your library home-page or blog as the “home base” for your research

Library home pages can be tailored to reflect in-school curriculum

Searching Skills Subject-Specific Search Engines Utilize your knowledge of “where things are” to look in appropriate spaces whenever possible Use “Advanced Search” features. Always. Scirus.com

Subject-Specific Search Engines

Utilize your knowledge of “where things are” to look in appropriate spaces whenever possible

Use “Advanced Search” features. Always.

Scirus.com

Non-Traditional Sources Interviews/Experts Transcripts Podcasts Invisible/Deep Web (WWW2)

Interviews/Experts

Transcripts

Podcasts

Invisible/Deep Web (WWW2)

Is research in your school conducted as a journey or a destination? Are your students adept at researching beyond commercial search engines?