Internet Searches   *   Copyright   *   Web Evaluation   *   Citing Internet Sources

Tips for Internet Searching

• Keyword Searching

This consists of typing the keyword you are looking for into the search box.

Example:  Explorers

•   Phrase Searching

In most search engines, you will be able to put “quotation marks” around a phrase you are searching for.  It will look for that exact phrase in documents.

Example:  American Explorers

• Boolean Searching

In these searches, the words AND, OR and NOT are used to combine search techniques and find the ways they appear within Internet search engines. (*Not all search engines understand Boolean searching)

    Examples:

AND- Use this operator to search for documents where you would like both terms to appear in the search.

American and Explorers

OR- Use this operator to include synonyms, particularly where there are several for a topic.  Or you would like to broaden a search.

  Explorers or Explorations   

NOT- Use this operator to exclude terms, particularly when your search terms have another meaning.

Explorers not Ford Explorers

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Common Search Errors

•   Incorrect Spelling- Always double check you’re spelling while doing a search. 

•   Incorrect Web Site Address- The address you type in the address box must be exact or it will not take you too that site.  No spaces!!!!!

• Don’t be too general in your search- For example:  search for Toyota Camry rather than cars.

•   Don’t be too specific- For example:  use short phrases instead of lengthy requests.

  Try different phrases and search engines!

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Using the 5 W’s to find a good web site

WHO, WHAT,WHEN, WHEREANDWHY?

Who?

• Who wrote the pages and are they an expert?
• Is there detailed information about the author or authority?
• How can you find out more about them?

What?

• What is the purpose of the site? 
• What are the author’s intentions?
• What makes this site easy or not easy to use?

When?

• When was this page created?
• Has is been updated?

Where?

• Where is the information coming from?
• Where can I look to find out more about the producer/sponsor?

Why?

• Why is the information useful for my purpose?
• Why should I use this information?

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Copyright

Copyright happens automatically as soon as a copy of the work is created.  Just because you don’t see the copyright symbol doesn’t mean the work is “public domain” (you have the right to use it freely).  In fact, the opposite is usually true.  The symbol itself can provide the reader with important information including who owns the copyright and the first year of publication.  A person does not have to register their work with the Copyright Office for action to be taken against a person infringing on that work; however it will help.  Copyright registration is a public record and puts other people on notice.

The copyright “owner” has the exclusive rights to:

• Reproduce the work
• Prepare “spin off” created from the work
• Distribute copies by sell, transfer of ownership, rental, lease or lending
• Perform the work publicly
• Display the work publicly
• They can also give permission for others to do the same

Copyrights can be obtained for the following types of work:

•  Literary
• Musical
• Dramatic
• Pantomimes and choreographic
• Pictorial, graphic and sculpted 
• Motion picture and other audiovisuals
• Sound recordings
• Architectural

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Fair Use

If a person wishes to use part of someone else’s work they have to obtain written permission from the author of that original work.  Only in “fair use” cases do you not have to obtain this.  The courts created fair use guidelines for teachers and students.  This “policy” permits those of us working in school setting to “borrow” parts of an original work without obtaining written permission from the author.  There are four basic guidelines used for the fair use policy- purpose, nature, amount, and effect.

Purpose- teaching, research or news reporting. 

            Illegal- making money from sale of work, credit is not given to author’s original work.

Nature- Factual and important information to education

            Illegal- very creative work (art, music, literary, films, plays), fiction

Amount- small quantity, portion is not crucial to entire work

            Illegal- larger or entire copy of work used, the part of the original used is crucial to new work’s success

Effect- No major effect on the market, used legally owns a copy of original work

            Illegal- could replace selling of original, many copies made, used for a long time, made it available on the web

**United States Government works are considered public domain and may be used freely.

 Copyright for Schools:  a practical guide / by Carol Mann Simpson. (September 2002)

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Citing Web Resources

http://libweb.sonoma.edu/assistance/citingweb.html

If you are using information from web resources it is important to remember to properly cite these sources.  Although styles vary, the following elements are most important to note.

Author(s) last name, First name

Date created

Title of the page

Title of the complete web site (if different from the page)

URL

The date accessed

Use these sites to help you create a bibliography

http://www.noodletools.com/quickcite/ - This site will assist you in creating a quick citation

http://www.easybib.com -This site will allow you to create a bibliography of all the sites you find.  It will allow you to save and print as well.