Searching the Internet

Internet Search Tips

See Also : Electronic Australianagoogle

Choosing your words

When searching with Google, or any search engine for that matter, the 'search terms' or words that you enter into the search box will have a great impact on the result. The following are some common situations you may encounter:

  • Found too much? - Try using additional keywords, eg. Use 'human body nervous system' rather than just 'human body'. If you know that the topic is Australian, choose the 'pages from Australia' radio button under the basic search box.
  • Found too little? - Try using different words. Ask yourself what other concepts or terms could be associated with your topic, eg. for information on asylum seekers try also 'refugees', 'immigrants' or 'boat people'
  • Unsure of your subject? - Try the Google Directory tab. Staff at Google have arranged web sites into broad categories, eg. Science, Computers, Society etc. Click on these and the subsequent links to narrow down your search, eg. Society>Women>Career>Mothers
  • Still looking for that perfect website? - A search engine may not be the answer. Try looking for links to other pages on some of the pages you have already found. It is possible that the information you are seeking is not even available on the Internet. Try talking with your teacher/local librarian or ask us for other places to look.

Narrowing In

  • Google allows you to use some advanced searching techniques to find variations on words or omit unwanted words. For more information on these, and other options, check out Google's Advanced search made easy

Other Places

These resources can be very useful when looking for alternatives to search engines to help you find a starting point for your research.

Whose Authority?

One last word from us..

.. As with all forms of information, you need to be aware of how reliable it is. This is especially true when dealing with the Internet. The following are things you should keep in mind, and questions you should be asking yourself when looking at information on the Internet.

  1. How accurate is the information?
    Does the information you have found match up with what you already know? Does it match what other sites are saying? Does it match what other resources are saying (newspapers, magazines, books)?
  2. How current is the material?
    When was the page published? Is the information likely to have changed?
  3. How authoritative is the information?
    Who created the web page? What are their qualifications in this field (both informal and formal)? Do they provide contact details?
  4. How objective is the material?
    Is there a bias to the site? What organisation/person has created the site? What is the purpose of the site? Is the site designed solely to provide information? Is the site advertising a product? Is the site pushing a particular agenda?
  5. What is the design of the site like?
    Is the site easy to use? A poorly designed site can sometimes be reflective of an amateurish approach, while sometimes a site that is really fancy can mean there is something to hide.

 

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