Reference Services
Course
Search Engines and Strategies [3:29]
- Learn about different age-appropriate search engines.
- Learn strategies for making your searches more efficient.
- Learn different student activities and staff collaboration opportunties.
Search engines are websites that comb the internet for the keywords typed in by the user. Although Google is one of the most popular, there are several search engines that are specifically for elementary children. Examples include SweetSearch, Kidtopia, and Kidzsearch. Within these frameworks, the youngest of researchers have the ability to find what they are looking for with a substantially reduced risk of encountering adult material. The use of Google or Bing is appropriate for upper elementary, middle, and high school students. Search engines have a variety of different features, including filtering results for images, news, maps, and videos. Google also has an academic portion of its website, Google Scholar, that searches journal articles and books for higher-level research.
Looking at the results of a search engine's page can be overwhelming for even the most skilled researcher. The good news is that there are several strategies you can use to make sure the search results page lists the most helpful resources available. Using Boolean operators, such as AND, OR, and quotation marks around your search terms help the search engine to narrow down results for you. On a Google results page, clicking on Settings and Advanced Search will help you be more specific in your search. Regardless of the search engine you and your students use, be sure to use all features of the results page, including reviewing the website listed, the brief description, and the related search terms at the bottom. Finally, continue to review results on the next few pages, using the page numbers at the bottom. The more you use these strategies yourself, the more comfortable you will be when teaching them to students. Look in this lesson's resources for more strategies and activities to try with your students.
Teaching research using search engines will vary, depending on the level of school you are in and the prior experience of your students. For example, most high school students probably do not require instruction on how to read a search results page. Instead, consider briefly reviewing this skill before teaching something more complex, such as Boolean operators. Elementary students will begin online research around third or fourth grade and will need more basic instruction, such as deciding keywords and discovering features such as image search. In terms of collaborations, consider getting staff input on what level of research to expect when they visit you for library lessons. Research also lends itself to discussing other topics including plagiarism, copyright, and works cited pages, which are also natural lessons for teachers and librarians to collaborate.
Search engines are really helpful for today's researchers to locate information on their topics. Librarians are in a prime position to help students and staff to find what they are looking for personally and academically. It is our job to not only communicate with our staff and students to find out their research needs, but also identify potential collaboration opportunities as new strategies and features are released. Knowing the most helpful search engines and their strategies are key competencies that will support our school communities do their best, most efficient research.
Making sure your students have the best reference resources at their fingertips is part of your job as a librarian. What happens when students go out on their own and start to search independently? If you have not taught them how to use search engines effectively, have you set them up for success? After you have read the SLC articles below, think about the search engines you would recommend to your students and then complete the Reflect & Practice activity below.
Today's researchers are going to do a quick internet search to find information about a topic. Are your students prepared to interpret the overwhelming results of a simple Google search? What strategies can you give them about a search engine to help them use it more effectively? Using page 12 of the Course Packet (included in the Resources above), think about 3-4 different search engines that you would recommend to your students and how to use them. What do they need to know about the search engine in order to use it correctly and effectively? Giving students the skills to do efficient research supports them throughout their lives.
MLA Citation
"Reference Services: Using Search Engines Effectively." School Library Connection, October 2020, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2270058?learningModuleId=2270025&topicCenterId=2247902.
Entry ID: 2272592
Teaching research using search engines is such an important skill for lifelong learners! Your job is to make learning how to search effectively a fun task! So it is time to come up with some search challenges for your students. What a great way to help them learn! Review the SLC articles and lesson plan included in the Resources below and use the information to complete the Reflect & Practice activity below. Perhaps one of the strategies you read about is new to you—challenge yourself as well!
Remember the first time you did a Google search and the endless amounts of resources that were presented to you at the click of a mouse? Imagine that now for your students as they begin to use the internet for their research. You want them to go beyond the first result and know how to refine how they search to make sure that the best resources float to the top. After reviewing the SLC articles and lesson plans above, use page 13 of the Course Packet (included in the Resources above), think about 2-3 different search challenges that you can present to your students with varying levels of difficulty.
MLA Citation
"Reference Services: Teaching Searching Skills." School Library Connection, October 2020, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2270058?learningModuleId=2270025&topicCenterId=2247902.
Entry ID: 2272593
Additional Resources
About the Author
MLA Citation
Grover, Rachel. "Reference Services. Search Engines and Strategies [3:29]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, October 2020, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2270058?learningModuleId=2270025&topicCenterId=2247902.
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2270058?learningModuleId=2270025&topicCenterId=2247902
Entry ID: 2270058
