When you're doing research online, be sure to SEARCH!
"SEARCH" is a research strategy with six important steps.
STEP ONE
Set a purpose.
Before you start your search, you should have a good idea of what you want to find.
Once you choose a purpose, it will be a lot easier to find the information you need.
STEP TWO
Employ effective search strategies.
Once you know what you are looking for, it is time to start your search. You should use effective search strategies. An important part of this is picking the right keywords.
When using a search bar, the words you type in are keywords. Choose your keywords carefully so that you find the best results for you.
For example, if you are looking for information about the history of cats in Egypt, searching just for "cats" will give you way too much information. You should make your search more specific by adding words like "Egypt" and "history."
STEP THREE
Analyze search engine results.
After you hit that "search" button, a lot of information is going to come your way. That's great! It means that somewhere in there is the answer you need. Now you have to decide which links to click and which ones to ignore.
My search has given me a lot of places to find information about cats in Egypt. One way to choose which website to use is to read the information under the links. For example, if I want to know about the cat breeds in Ancient Egypt, I should click "Ancient Egypt Online: Cats in Ancient Egypt" because underneath it says, "There were two main breeds of cat native to Ancient Egypt." I could also choose sources that I know are trustworthy. For example, I might choose to use the National Geographic or Science Magazine websites because I have heard of them before and know that the information they provide is true. |
STEP FOUR
Read critically.
Once you've found some sources, it is important to think about what they tell you. Is what they are saying true?
Read a lot of different sources to decide what to trust. If the National Geographic website and the Science Magazine website tell us similar facts about cats in Ancient Egypt, then we can be pretty sure they are telling the truth.
Read a lot of different sources to decide what to trust. If the National Geographic website and the Science Magazine website tell us similar facts about cats in Ancient Egypt, then we can be pretty sure they are telling the truth.
STEP FIVE
Cite your sources.
When you take information from a website or article, it is important to let people know where you found that information. It would be stealing to say that it came out of your own head!
Sometimes this can be as simple as copying the link at the top of the page and pasting it at the end of your research.
Sometimes this can be as simple as copying the link at the top of the page and pasting it at the end of your research.
For more advanced researchers, your teachers may require you to cite your sources in a certain format, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago Style. If you would like a great resource on using those citation styles and creating a works-cited page, click the button below for more information.
STEP SIX
How successful was your search?
Now is the time to take a look at all of your hard work. Did you find everything you needed? Or is there still some piece of information you haven't quite found?
If your search was successful, great! If not, go back to step one. Think about your purpose. Is it too specific? Not specific enough? Or maybe your problem is with your keywords. Look though each step and try new things until you can finally call your search successful!
If your search was successful, great! If not, go back to step one. Think about your purpose. Is it too specific? Not specific enough? Or maybe your problem is with your keywords. Look though each step and try new things until you can finally call your search successful!