Internet Search Strategies

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What is it exactly that you are looking for in this assignment/activity?  Before spending the entire time ‘surfin’ the web focus your search to find valuable information.

To create a search strategy:

Summarize your topic: 

What is your topic: (Write your topic in one or two sentences. Be specific.)

Example: I want to know which trees grow better in Central Texas.

What habitat is necessary for the Golden-cheeked Warbler?

What concepts are addressed in these topics?

Think of these concepts to develop a list of unique words or proper names associated with them.

What organizations might be associated with any of these topics? (Example: the Sierra Club, Central Texas Gardner, Texas A&M)

Think about putting some of these topics in a phrase?

Example: What soil requirements are optimum for tree growth in Central Texas?

Think about using synonyms. (Synonyms are different words with similar or identical meanings.) Include these terms using OR in the search.

Example:  Soil Requirements OR Nutrients

What broader terms can you think of that would cover your topic?

Key steps to Search Strategies:

1. Identify the topic you are researching.
2. Identify the concepts you are researching.
3. What key words or proper names can you use.
4. What organizations are associated with your topic.  
5. What phrase summarizes your topic?
6. Try Boolean operators.
7. Have you tried any synonyms?
8. Read the search help tips in the search engine. (Example ‘Advanced Search’, FAQs)
9. Look at the results to determine if your strategy is working.
10. Modify your search if needed.
11. Try different search engines. Yahoo and Google are not the only ones out there.

Search Engine Comparisons (Which search engine is best for your search?)

Citing Sources from the internet.

Information Literacy: Search Strategies

Gale Databases