Author: Amanda K. Bevis

Searching for information on the Web has become an overwhelming task. The Web has migrated from a repository of static information managed only by webmasters. Anyone can publish information on the web in a few minutes using Web 2.0 tools. Many options are available for searching information on the Web that include specific search engines or features specific to locating scholarly information, images, videos or general information that most people access for work or for personal use. Since the Web is no longer static, searches can also be made on up to the minute conversations on anything.

Search Engine in Plain English

Video by CommonCraft

There are the everyday branded search engines that get us through the day. The common ones are Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask. These search engines also have features to search specific areas of images, blogs, videos and/or news. The wealth of information is enormous and using such features can assist in narrowing the focus. NoodleTools is a great reference for understanding how to get the information you need by using the best search engine.

Below is a search engine interface that you can customize to include some of the top engines used. As you can see, the red arrows point to search engine tabs that will show results of the search engines. This interface can be found at ZUULA. The yellow highlighted 'Edit Tabs' is where specific engines can be added and arranged.





This is an example from Google illustrating the specific content areas in which to search.

Top 100 Alternative Search Engines - A listing with a brief description of each. One of the alternatives listed is iSeek. It was voted the Alternative Search Engine of the Year. A very different layout of results.

See table below for other options.

Content	Search Sites
Educational	EduScapes	PBS TeacherSource
Answer Factual Questions	Factbites	Answers.com
Images, photos, clipart	Flickr	Picsearch	Ditto
Encyclopedias	Britannica	Encarta	Information Please
Digital Library	The Library of Congress	Exploratorium
Virtual Library - managed by libraries and librarians	The Librarian's Index to the Internet	Infomine	Internet Public Library

Blogs

A blog is a web log, like a diary, that contains regular (or not so regular) entries of commentary. Blogs are another means to capture and share information on our thoughts and ideas. We are able to to gather information on the subject matter and the different ways it is used or talked about. Bloggers tag their entries for viewers to quickly locate information pertaining to a specific topic. Tags are a means of classifying information. But first, you must locate a blog or blogs about topics which you want to know more about.

Blog Search Engines

Technorati
IceRocket
Google Blog Search

- Google Alert provides searchers with an update sent to your email of interesting blogs on selected topics.

Micro-Messaging Information

Email and text messages via our cell phone has been one of the primary ways in which we communicate in an almost real-time environment. These services provide ease of access to our fellow co-workers, classmates, family and friends. Our limitations are usually the contacts stored in our address book. The introduction of the micro-messaging concept has opened our world beyond the address book. Such tools as Twitter and Plurk have allowed us to connect to people and have short bits of conversations across the globe. Networks are established with whom we wish to associate or follow for various interests. These conversations are search-able to find the most current information being discussed on any given topic.

Twitter Search



Twitter's homepage has a new look (picture above) as of July 28, 2009. The video below is based on the old homepage, but the features are the same.

Video by CommonCraft

Challenges

The abundance and readily access of information challenges us as teachers, learners and individuals to critically view information on the Web. We are now into the world of information literacy where skills are required in searching for information and critical analysis of the information to determine its validity and accuracy.


Additional Learning

About.com Guide to Web Search
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Web Searchers
Critical Evaluation Surveys and Resources - Kathy Schrock
Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages - Cornell University Library
UC at Berkley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops
Why Twitter has a new homepage?
?? Interesting Ways to Use Search Engines in the Classroom (at the time of this writing it began with eight and to date there are twenty-three, sure more will come)


References/Acknowledgments

Boswell, Wendy. About.com Guide to Web Search. Retrieved July 28, 2009 from

http://websearch.about.com/od/searchingtheweb/u/web_search_basics_path.htm

Kikpatrick, Marshall. (2008). ReadWriteWeb. Micro-messaging companies are growing fast. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/micromessaging_companies_are_g.php

Mills, S. (2006). Using the Internet for active teaching and learning. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson

Education.

L.A. Times. (2009). Technology the business and culture of our digital lives. Twitter's sleek new homepage puts a focus on search.

Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/07/twitter-sleek-new-homepage-puts-a-focus-on-search.html

Sagolla, Dom. (2009). 140 Characters. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www.140characters.com/2009/01/30/how-twitter-was-born/