Exploring and Evaluating Online Resources Patricia Serafini & Monique Flaccavento Librarians @ the OISE Library
Jun 29, 2015
Exploring and Evaluating Online Resources
Patricia Serafini &Monique Flaccavento
Librarians @ the OISE Library
Outcomes
Knowledge of…
Strategies to help your students evaluate websites
Strategies to help your students improve their Google searches
Student-friendly resources beyond Google
Agenda
Evaluating Websites
Improving Google Searches
Alternatives to Google
Online Resources Available Through School Board Library Sites
Discussion
What are some of the issues / challenges your students will face when searching the internet?
A search for
Immigrants Toronto
in Google…
…yields over 2.4 million results!
Evaluation of Websites
Tree Octopushttp://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/
Martin Luther Kinghttp://www.martinlutherking.org/
Tools for Evaluating Websites
pp. 31-32
Improving Google Searches
Improving Google Searches
- (to exclude) “ ” (phrase search)
OR
google site:.edu
* (Obama voted * on the * bill)
Alternatives to Google
http://www.google.com/Top/Kids_and_Teens/
http://www.yippy.com/
http://www.quintura.com/
http://www.dmoz.org/Kids_and_Teens/
Activity
http://www.google.com/Top/Kids_and_Teens/
http://yippy.com/
http://www.quintura.com/
http://www.dmoz.org/Kids_and_Teens/
Activity
What makes this search engine better / worse than Google (for your students)?
Be prepared to share your findings with the class.
Free Internet vs. Licensed Resources
Internet Licensed Resources
No editor or gatekeeper (not filtered)
Sponsored hits / advertising
No censorship (no criteria – anyone can post anything)
Professionally created / edited
Materials carefully selected (censorship; quality control)
Current / continuously updated
Indexed with Subject Headings
What are KO Licensed Databases?
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/libraries/cat.asp?schoolNo=9
Licensed Databases
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/oise/
Student Resource Centre Canadian Edition(now called Canada in Context)
Student Resource Centre, Canadian Edition (aka Canada in Context)
1. Click on “Immigration” (under “Social Issues”). What types of resources do you find?
2. Is this a good search strategy for finding resources about immigration in Toronto? Why? Why not?
Student Resource Centre, Canadian Edition (aka Canada in Context)
3. Try to find information about immigration in Toronto written since 2001at the intermediate level using the Advanced Search screen.
4. Describe your search strategy.
A Few other KO Resources available through the OISE Library
CPI.Q
InfoTrac Student / InfoTrac Student (Graphic Interface)
Teen Health & Wellness
Other things to Consider…
The importance of…
Formulating a clear research question / topic (pages 12 – 16 of Research Success @ Your Library)
Selecting the “right” keywords and synonyms (see pages 10 & 11 of Research Success @ Your Library)
Other things to Consider…
Creating effective search strategies (pages 21 & 22 of Research Success @ Your Library)
Questions? Contact us! We’re here to help!
Monique [email protected]