Evaluating General
Web Search Tools: Which are Best?
Description
The purpose of this lesson is to
help students use web search tools - search engines and directories - most effectively
so that they retrieve good information. This may be introduced once students
have a topic statement or research question developed.
Learning Outcomes I Suggested
Procedure I Assessment
for this Lesson
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Materials for this Online
lesson:
Computer with Internet access
Video projection device/screenEvaluating Search Tools Worksheet |
Time allotment: 95 minutes (1 hr., 35 mins.)- 15 minutes for guided instruction.
- 30 minutes for independent practice (worksheet).
- 50 minutes for class discussion of search engines and criteria.
Grade Level: Grade 7 - 12
Information Literacy Standard:
1.The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently
and effectively.
2.The student who is information literate evaluates
information critically and competently.
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Learning Outcomes
Students will understand and differentiate
between general and subject-search engines/directories.
Students will be able to critically evaluate search tools in order to select
the best search engine/directory for their search needs.
Students will identify criteria for good web search tools.
Suggested Procedure
Tell students that they are going
to look at several search engines and evaluate whether they would be good search
tools.
Go to Yahoo! In the search query box, type in the phrase search engines. - Results = aver 2500.
- Click on "Searching the Web>Search engines and Directories."
As you scroll down through the list, tell students that there are general
search engines that will search many topics and focused search engines that
search for specific subjects. - Ask students to point out search engines they
think are general ones and those they think are subject-related.
- Ask them what
clues were there to tell them the difference (e.g. title of search engine, description.
Examples: Under Most Popular and Alphabetical List, Altavista and Lycos are
general and 11AA.com is specific.)
Student Work
Go over the purpose and directions for the Evaluating Search Tools Worksheet.
Purpose: To help students become familiar with several search engines and to
help them think critically about them so they can decide which are better for
their search needs.
After each group completes the worksheet, they must present their findings
to the class. In this way, the class will learn the basics for searching a number
of major search engines.
Alternative Procedure: In situations
where there are limited computers for student use, the search tool worksheet
can be completed by groups (4-6 students) over several days. Then, the class
may come together as a whole to discuss the features of their search engine
and as a class, create the rubric.
Assessment
As a class, students create a rubric
for evaluating search engines. The rubric is taken from the features and elements
the students were asked to evaluate.
Better search engines*: Google, Altavista, Northernlight, Hotbot
Average search engines: Direct Hit, Go.com
*Note to Teacher: Based on reviews of search engines and
directories, these are better.
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This page was last updated February 19, 2002
This lesson was created to support the SBC/UCLA Initiatives for 21st Century Literacies.
Evaluating General
Web Search Tools: Which are Best? was created by Stephanie Brasley
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