Information Literacy

Information Literacy What is it?

Information Literacy • Ability to locate, organize, evaluate and use information • Combines computer and research skills • Sources of information: Internet, databases, books, newspapers, television and radio

Internet • There is so much information on the internet. How do you tell what’s good information and what is bad information?

Search Engine • Program on the internet to help users search for files and information • Top four search engines: • Google - http://www.google.com • Yahoo - http://www.yahoo.com • Ask - http://www.ask.com • AlltheWeb - http://www.alltheweb.com

Other Search Engines • AltaVista – was the Google of way back when (now owned by Yahoo). • http://www.altavista.com • AOL search - http://aolsearch.aol.com • Live Search – (formally MSN Live) – • http://www.live.com/ • http://searchenginewatch.com/2156221

Question #13 How do sites get to the top of a result list in Google? • Popularity – counts the number of links from sites all around the web. For example, if a large number of sites has a specific keyword somewhere on their web site along with a link to a particular site. The higher the number of links to a site, the higher Google will rank that site on a list result.

Question #13 How do sites get to the top of a result list in Google? (cont) • Other factors: • Title of site, • Sites meta information • Actual content of the site

Major Directory • 0 knew Major Directory • Major Directory catalogs (indexes) the Web • Open Directory – http://dmoz.org – not recommended for searching • Use Google Directory - http://www.google.com/dirhp

Some answers for Question #1 • Wikipedia – NO! – not a search engine • Wikipedia is a reference source • Free Online Encyclopedia • Articles are written collaboratively from volunteers around the world • Facts are checked. • Answer.com – • Online Dictionary, Encyclopedia, reference source

Some answers for Question #1 – not search engines • Thebostonchannel.com – a website for WCVB TV – Channel 5 Boston • Hotmail.com – Microsoft’s free web-based e-mail service.

Boolean Operators(Question #5) • Terms used to narrow or expand your results of online searching • AND • OR • NOT • Named after George Boole who invented the logic in the 1800’s

AND, OR, NOT

Boolean Search • Search Dolphins and Whales – this will retrieve all records that have both keywords dolphins, whales • Search Dolphins or Whales – this will retrieve all records that have dolphins, whales or both dolphins and whales. • Search Dolphins not Miami – will retrieve all records with the keyword dolphins, but not the keyword Miami

Question #3 Why might you use quotation marks when searching. • To ensure your keywords appear in the order you have specified • Search global warming – no quotes • Search “global warming” • Note the differences in the results

Question #4 URL is an acronym for: • 1 – the brain – wrong! • 1 – United Rare Ladies – wrong! • 4 – Universal Router Link – wrong! • 7 – IDK • 2 – Universal Resource Locator – Correct! (web address)

Question #6 – How do you find the owner or publisher of a site • 0 – correct answers • Go to www.easywhois.com enter the URL of the site you would like to research • Try to find the owner or publisher of www.wakefieldlacrosse.com

Question #7 – Extensions of URL • .org – organization – does not have to be non-profit • .com – company • .sch – school (used outside US) • .k12 – most US school sites • .edu – US higher education (colleges)

(Cont) - Extensions • .gov US government (add country code for outside US) • .ac – higher ed outside us usually with a country code ie “.ac.uk • .net – network • .mil – military • .co – company (if pared with country code, ie “.co.uk”) or state of Colorado, or the country Columbia

Question #8 How do you find out who is linked to your school’s website? • Go to Alta Vista: www:altavista.com and do a link: command search • Type link:www.stjosephschoolwakefield.org

Question #9 What clues in a web address might indicate that you are on a personal website? • Tilde “~” in the domain name • http://comsewogue.org/~ssilverman/litcircles/resources.htm • Percent sign “%” in the domain name • Personal name “john” or the word “user” after the domain name and the first forward slash • http://kids-learn.org/litcircles/silverman/silverman.htm

Question #10 How would you conduct a search for the following: a list of websites of all the academic institutions in South Africa? • Go to Alta Vista: www.altavista.com • Type host: ac.za in the search box • For subject specific resources around the world using extensions and country codes. Full list of exentions and country codes: • http://www.computeruser.com/resources/ dictionary/domains.html

Question #11 How do you find the history of any given website? • Use the Wayback Machine • Go to www.archive.org and type the URL you are researching.

Question #12 How do you conduct a search for the following: US higher education websites that contain the word turtle • Go to Alta Vista: www.altavista.com • Type: “host:edu + turtle”

Question #2 What is a blog? • Short for weblog • A Web 2.0 tool • Online Journal • Can be about anything • Example: http://weblogs.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/bees - Blog about the book The Secret Life of Bees

Information Literacy