Chapter 3 - Searching the Web.

Searching the Web....

Well, there are a variety of tools to utilize when doing research on the internet. Just like a carpenter or auto mechanic has a great deal of tools at his or her disposal for just about any situation. Choosing the right tool for doing the job, makes the work a great deal more efficient and less aggravating. Using a web tool such as a search engine, should be easy to understand and use. The results should be quick to find and relevant to the search.

First of all, when you have an idea of the subject matter you wish to research, you will need to formulate a question or at least enter in a keyword to find information the is useful to your research. This is called a query. You can enter your query into the text box usually at the top of the page for almost any search engine or internet browser.






Next, examine the results from the query. Are they relevant? Did you find any results that appear to be very much different from what you are seeking to find? For example, if you were looking for information regarding "musical instruments" in your search query, but only typed in "instruments" in your query, you may get an unexpected result like "medical instruments".

A careful examination of the web page will determine the quality and creditability of the information. Determine the authors credentials for the information. Reading any background information regarding the author or organization for the web site is very useful to get  a full understanding of the source. One should also be concerned with the web site's objectivity. A web site that contains biases, or is heavily slanted toward a political issue or party, would not necessarily be the greatest choice, unless that information was obviously relevant to the query. Is the scope and quality of the web site of high value. Does the site contain information for the topic you are searching? Is the site designed for kids or adults? Any spelling or grammar errors in the reading? Do the links to other sites work, if they do is that information relevant?