List possible sources
Now determine all the different places you might find the information to your question.
Click here for tips from CRLS on Making a List of Possible Sources. NOTE: Ask you teacher, librarian, or parents if you need help getting or evaluating the resources.
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Where can you look?
Which ones will you use?
Then you need to decide which ones will work best for your project.
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Improving Your Online Search Results
The next section talks about different ways to improve your search results when using online resources. Many of the videos describe how the Google search engine and features work. Most search engines work similarly, but they optimize their search results with different algorithms, so you may get different results when using different search engines. They may also have different advanced search options.
PBS Ruff Ruffman: Searching and You
Web Search Strategies in Plain English
Learn how search engines actually work and how you can improve the way you use them.
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How Search Works
The life span of a Google query is less then 1/2 second, and involves quite a few steps before you see the most relevant results. Here's how it all works.
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Google Search Features
This is a fast paced video that highlights many of the search features of Google. You are sure to learn something you didn't already know.
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How to Improve Your Search Terms
Learn how to improve your search terms when searching a database or the library catalog to enhance the relevancy of your search results. Think of different words (synonyms) that might change your search results.
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Search Google By Reading Level
Did you know that you can filter your Google search results by reading level? Watch this video to learn more about the reading level tool!
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Google Search Options
Google's Search options let you slice and dice your search results, explore your search and generate different views of your results page to more easily and quickly find what you need.
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How to Use Google Advanced Search + Boolean Operators
Great tips on how to use Google Advanced Search options to improve your search results. It also describes how you can use equivalent Boolean Operators instead to do the same thing.
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Search By Image Fu
Did you know that when Search-by-Image doesn't work out so well, you can add in a keyword or two and help it out? Here's a demonstration of this using a picture I took of a caterpillar I found wandering around outside.
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Google Research ToolTammy Worcester has put together a wonderful write-up on how to use the Google Research Tool. It allows students (or anyone) to perform searches for web resources, images, quotes, and scholarly articles from within the document — and then it cites the sources with a click of a button! Just click on the image below to learn more.
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Youtube Search Strategies
Many times you can find excellent information from a video. Try using these terms (also known as tags) when you search for a YouTube video (use only the ones that pertain to your subject):
Other Resources
How to Use Google Search More Effectively [Infographic] - Designed for college students, but has many excellent examples of using search operators to find what you are looking for.
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Evaluating the Credibility of a Website
Once you find a website you like, you need to evaluate if the website is one that you can trust. You should start by using EasyBib. If Easybib does not say the source is "credible", then you must use other techniques to determine it's credibility.
Literati: Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Website Tutorial
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Evaluating Websites Example
Two students discuss the credibility of websites for their project on Crohn's Disease.
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