Power Searching Techniques

The Internet has more order to it than you might believe. The first step in qualitative searching is to narrow the number of hits you receive to a manageable size. This filtering involves critical thinking as well as understanding what search tools and techniques to utilize.

ADVANCED SEARCHING

This article provides a simple, yet valuable, process for brainstorming search terms.
Step Zero: What to do Before Searching
PowerPoint introduction to Searching

Videos to visually explain searching tools and techniques. Topics include recognizing the difference between Search engines and directories, accessing the invisible Web, meta search engines, and Boolean expressions. You will need a password from the instructor.
Atomic Learning

The Step Zero article supplements the following Boolean expression exercises.
Seven Steps to Better Searching
Worksheet
Searching review

ARTICLES

For Best Answers, Ask Tough Questions - Pedagogy should go beyond read and recall.
Kids Search Directories
Kids Metasearch Engines

EDUCATORS' DIRECTORIES

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Includes categorized model links, tutorials, and presentations.
Joyce Valenza's Virtual Library for Educators - Best suited for middle school through higher ed. levels.
Internet Public Library - A portal maintained by librarians for searching, finding books, multimedia, blogs, newspapers, magazines, and have search queries answered by staff. Areas for all ages.
Awesome Library - Designed for K-12 students in a bold simple to navigate layout.
Faganfinder - Selects the best search engine for your specific needs.

NOTE TAKING AND ORGANIZATION OF RESEARCH

Cornell Method	InteractiveNotes	Q Notes	Summary Notes	NoteStar
Think Tank	Jot	Notemesh	Organization Grids	The New Plagiarism