Searching Google is easy, fun, and routine. Most people think the more hits they get the better off they are. That just simply is not true. Reality says do you want millions of things to look through or just 200? Sure the top 10 are all you may want but is it good enough and is it what you are looking for?

"Be Careful what you look for - You just might find it!"
(key) Velcro , Octopus, Holocaust, Moon.
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Check your Sources carefully. C.R.A.P. test.

Utah's Online Library

Be sure to use Gale Reference Collection 9-12. PowerSearch OR individual databases in the OnlineLibrary.
To access the K-12 Pioneer Library from home:
Go to: http://onlinelibrary.uen.org AT SCHOOL and write down the username and password! Or take a picture of it...
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There are basically 3 types of Search Engines
1. Directories like Yahoo used to be! Some one (a human being) actually goes out and finds websites and categorizes them into a "directory" So they are only as good as what some else finds.
 2. Crawlers or spiders (Google) which rely on software to "go out" and find things based on your queries.  Metacrawlers like DogPile. These "crawl" into a few search engines. DogPile searches 4 other search engines - Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask and then compiles it into one list.
3. And a combination of the two!
Databases - (Gale, EBSCO, Worldbook, SIRS,...) Search peer reviewed magazines, journals, newspapers, websites and other scholarly material. Google and other search engines DO NOT search these databases.
Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing...) Search the free and commercialized internet and provide little, if any filtering for educational resources. Top hits are by location, user profile and popularity NOT accuracy.
 Some things to know.
  • Google invented something called PageRank. The number of times a website has been viewed is determined where it ends up on Google's search page. The guys that invented Google left MIT with intentions of "downloading the whole web" to it's own computers. That is why 1. Google is fast and 2) Sometimes a picture shows in your search but if you try to go the site the picture may not be found or is blocked!. The picture is now on one of Google's computers NOT where it was originally found!
  • Most search engines have advanced features to narrow down your search. Please use them.
  • Wikipedia is a hot topic too. It is not a search engine. It is a user (normal everyday people like you) generated encyclopedia/WikiSpace. Anyone can contribute to it and is sometime sabotaged with wrong or crude information. However, use it to find sources. Search for Causes of WWII and (key) look at the references! SCROLL down!
  • There are literally hundreds (and hundreds?) of specialized search engines out there. Many of them actually use Google's search processing engine. See below.
  • Search engines normally look for Meta-tag information in web pages to find a "hit". You may know tagging #hashtags from social media sites and music taggin. It's like sticking a post-it note on the back of something or maybe a tag in your shirt. Most people do not see it but search engines DO. I could put a tag in the code of this website as "baseball" and when someone does a search for baseball, TheOlyCenter may show up!
  • Don't confuse Search with Find. In web browsers there is a find (or "Find on page") command (usually under the edit menu) that will search the current page you are on. LEARN THIS! Not an option. You will use it instead of reading all 'x' number of pages. Do a find for (key) to see the most important parts of this page! No ( )!
  • If you search for an "Image" MAKE SURE YOU click 'Visit" the page so you see the image in context and the source.

 Citing your sources .
Follow your teacher's instruction on this one. There are quite a few ways to cite your sources. Either of these two links will help you. Fill out the form and it will create a correct text for you to copy and paste into your document.
  • Easy bib(liography)
  • Son of Citation Machine
  • Information Fluency - 21cif.com/tools/cite/
  • GALE <key> (through Utah Online Library) gives you the citation ON the document!  Copy and paste it. Or even better - Send it to NoodleTools
  • Many research sites will tell you how cite them right on the page
  • Microsoft Word - Using Word for your bibliography
  • Noodle Tools <key>A research / notecard / Citation / Outline tool that ties into Google as well. Students have an account but must log in with their @granitesd.org account.
  • When was a page last modified? -  Tools/lastmodified.html

You may also want to look at my Plagiarism page
 Suggestions for your searches.
  • Be specific you do not want 75,231 random hits. You want 75 accurate hits.
  • (Key) Using "quotation marks" keeps words together. If you search for death penalty you will get hits with both words NOT related to each other. For instance you may get a hit for some one who recently died and you may get a hit for a soccer player who got a penalty. Using quotation marks in "death penalty" will look for the two words together.
  • Boolean Terms are AND, OR, & NOT. Here is some more information in a movie (Boolean terms must be capitalized)
    • AND will look for all words (somewhere on the same page but maybe not together) You mostly do NOT need to use this function. Google does NOT support "AND". It is built into their engine.
    • OR (also '|' known as a tube) will look for either word (OR gives you more!)
    • NOT or (-) will give you different results. 
 ​ More Suggestions 
  • (key) <"search terms" inurl:gov> or edu, org. or a country. -> KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN!
  • ~ in front of word will pull up synonyms (~cancer) this will NOT work ~ cancer. (Notice the space)
  • ~ try it at the end of the term and see what you get (canc~)
  • ... will give you numbers in a range. 1999..2009
  • (key) * Wild Card will fill in the blanks for you. ("To * and * in LA" returns different results than "to and in LA")
  • Try combinations of the above. "lung cancer" +opinion -death by *
  • Change up your words. Instead of searching for "Spiders" search for other words "arachnids" "black widow"... Use http://thesaurus.com/ to find similar words.
  • Search "The Deep Web" too - (key) Most of what you find on "The Web" is soft news or current information. It is not always "real research". That stuff is found in the deep web. The deep web consists of sites that are not indexed or searched by search engines like Google. The deep web is mostly university and/or databases that are not general information. There are few deep web search engines on the bottom of this page.
  • Use the CHEAT SHEET for more ideas (key)
  • (key) Google uses +, - instead of AND (+) and NOT (-) they have to be next to the word (no space) to add Death +penalty. salt lake -city, -temple
  • Please note that Google changes and updates often and some of these "cheats" many no longer be needed as they get built into basic Google searches.  
  • Filter Bubble (key)
    results based on information from your personal preferences, past searches, location, friends, and many other web based habits.
Be Careful 
  • The links below will take you far far away into a new learning curve other than Google.
  • Give the search engines TIME to search.  Once the links show up USE "Ctrl F" to find any specifics.
  • Make your links open up in a new window so that you still have access to this page.
  • You will need a lot of time.
  • STAY focused on your topic! It is too easy to get side tracked (Hey look shiny things...?)
  • CRAP Test! Is the website....<key>
    • Current? When was it created or last modified - is that important?
    • Reliable? - Is there a bibliography to make the site look reliable?
    • Authoritative? - Who is the author or publisher of the site?
    • Purpose? What is the purpose of the site. Find an "About" link.
Obviously I do not have every search engine below but it is a good sampling to get you going away from Google generic.

Am I missing one?  ​Find a broken link? ​Click here.

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​Tutorials on how to search. I know you think you know how to search... but these tips will give you new ideas to the world.​
In case you ever want to learn about search engines or how to search more productively

Books about internet searching Links to Destiny have to be a resources list.
Resource lists
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​Some of these sites can be quite tricky to navigate but are some of the best for detailed information.
Library Database vs Website -
(Stolen from this site -http://wheelerschool.libguides.com)

What is the difference between the library's online Databases and Internet websites?
Here are some key differences between the two resources:
  • Databases:
  • ... work through the Internet, but are not Internet sites.
  • ... are published by reliable companies, like book publishers.
  • ... provide access to information, articles, and more.
  • ... use really flexible search methods.
  • ... are "free" with your Boulder Public Library card. (Or UEN.org)
  • Internet:
  • ... can have unreliable information.
  • ... valuable content (like magazine or newspaper articles) is not free.
  • ... has annoying pop-up ads, flashing banners, and advertisements.
 Why should you use databases?
  • ...because you need ARTICLES for a research paper.
  • ...because your teacher told you to use only SCHOLARLY material.
  • ...because you want FREE ACCESS to articles & e-books.
  • ...because the guides include car repair, consumer reports, legal forms, music & much more!
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Point and CounterPoints and Pro/Con or social issue links. The more PC phrase is Opposing Viewpoints - That way YOU can decide if it is Pro or Con!

Books -
Check the 300's mostly. "Opposing Viewpoints" Series.
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Primary Sources
​​Documents created at or near the time of the event.

Books -
Search for your topic. We have many "War" and government Primary Sources.
Try this page in Destiny.
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Links to other search engines.
Information about search engines and more lists to other search engines.
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​Biographies or people search engines.  Are the specialties below.
Biographies or people search engines.

We have a lot of Biography books
  • 920's Specific people
  • 921's Groups of people.
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Some sites do not want to be searchable. Or their information is not intended to be public.  Why should that stop a programmer tho?!
  • ​A have noticed that a lot of these Deep Web, Invisible, Dark Web search engines are going away...Or maybe just getting harder to find!

Books
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Google only
I try to get you to stay away from basic google.  But here are specific Google links that take you to less popular search engines provided by Google.

Historical

Historical (?)

Propaganda Posters
History

Books.
The whole 900's is History.   Search for your topic!

Search FOR Pictures & Graphics

Search USING a picture!

Upload a picture or a URL and you can find more info about that picture.
Look for pictures and yes you can upload or link to a picture and search for similar pictures.  I make no promises as to what pictures will be found on these outside links.

If searching Google for pics you can specify size, type, color... If you're using a picture you found on Google be sure to View image.  Then "Download" or link to.
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Not sure how to categorize these yet.
 A popular topic for our teachers to assign at our school!

Please remember when you cite your sources to use NoodleTools as your teacher requested

Even More

MetaSearch Engines

Yippy - www.yippy.com/
Dogpile - www.dogpile.com/