The document provides tips for effective keyword searching on the internet. It recommends developing a list of keywords related to your topic and then searching using different combinations of keywords to refine results. An example is provided of searching for "pasta dinner recipes" using increasingly specific keyword combinations. The document also offers advice for evaluating search results, such as examining the URL for indicators of authority and purpose. Key questions are suggested for determining the reliability of websites, like who authored it and when it was posted.

1. Searching:
The Internet at your fingertips
edtech4k12
Donna Baratta

2. Searching: The Basics
Effective Keyword Searches
• Develop a list of key words for your topic that
you can use when conducting searches online
(Only ask.com handles complete sentences
known as semantic search.)
• Look for keywords related to your topic in
textbooks, articles, videos, and online
resources such as Wikipedia

3. Effective Keyword Searches
• Start searching by using the most important
keyword or synonyms
• Add additional keywords to refine search
results.
• See the power of keywords in action! Let us
examine a search using keywords that
everyone can relate to, a search for dinner
recipes.

4. Example: What’s for dinner?

5. Pasta + dinner

6. Pasta + dinner+ fettucini

7. Pasta + dinner+ fettucini + alfredo

8. Pasta + dinner+ fettucini + alfredo +
bacon

9. Pasta + dinner+ fettucini + alfredo +
bacon + low fat

10. Key ideas!
• Using a combination of keywords can help
refine search results.

11. Evaluating Search Results
• Even after refining our search using
combinations of keywords, we still have a
tremendous amount of sites to look at.
• How do we decide which sites are worth our
time?

12. Examine the URL
• First, look at URL (Internet address) endings
• Typical URL endings:
– .com or .net = commercial sites
– .org = organization
– .edu = educational site
– .gov = US government site
– .ca signifies a Canadian site; countries have their
own unique individual endings

13. Be aware!
The first few results
(also known as “hits”)
are often
advertisements.
Companies pay the
search engine a fee for
this placement.
Sidebar “results” are
not search results at all.
They are paid
advertising spots.

14. Skim and Scan: URL endings
US Government
Commercial
United Kingdom
Organization

15. Once you
have
evaluated
URL
endings,
read the
summaries.
Use the
information
provided to
decide if the
site is worth
your time.

16. Questions & Answers for Each Site:
• Who posted the site?
– The author or organization name should appear
on the site.
• What is their purpose in posting?
– Information? Bias? Selling a product?
• How can you confirm authority of the author?
– Google the author’s name and check results
• When was the site posted? Is it current?
– The date should be posted on the site

17. No Easy Answers
• There are no easy answers to which Internet
sites are reliable and which are not.
• Each site must be examined carefully for
authority, purpose, content, and currency.

18. Happy Effective Searching!
• Now that you know the basics, you can save
time and search more effectively!