Surfing the net: Tips for avoiding wipe-outs!
Students today love “surfing” the Internet, which is OK. It provides the greatest source of health information ever available to them. However, the problem is, they also readily trust the information found on it. It is no longer enough to teach students the skills needed to find information, we need to support students in developing the skills to become discerning consumers of Internet health information.This article will show you some of the tools for searching the Internet and provide some practical techniques to help students find what they are looking for. It also provides suggested criteria for evaluating web sites to ensure that the information students are collecting is accurate and reliable.
Finding facts the first time
The growth of the World Wide Web to more than 2 billion web pages makes searching and finding information like trying to find the proverbial “needle in a haystack”. Luckily for web “surfers” there are some tools to help in this search.
There are numerous search engines available to assist with the task of finding information on the Internet. Google is probably the most popular search engine. However, it is not necessarily the best tool for locating the information students need. To investigate the effectiveness of different search engines, divide students into pairs or threes and allocate each group a search engine. Ask each group to search for the same key words in their allocated search engine. Ask students to record the results that they obtain for each of the key word searches. Compare and discuss the number of results, the ranking of the pages and the effectiveness of the search engines in finding the information they required. Here is an example using Google and Dogpile.
Ask students to search for health services in the Ryde area in Google (www.google.com.au). This search brings back 173 000 web sites. If the same key word search is completed in Dogpile (http://dogpile.com/) it is quite a different results list.
This search returns only 72 website matches. The reason for this is that Dogpile is a metasearch engine. A metasearch engine is a tool that searches the results lists generated by other search engines rather than searching the Internet for web pages which contain the key words. The metasearch engine then creates a more refined list using information from all of the main search engines.
Other popular search engines that students may use for Internet searching include:
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
The University Libraries at University of Albany website provides further information on choosing a search engine depending on the type of information you are trying to locate. This site is located at http://library.albany.edu/internet/choose.html.
Successful “surfing” requires planning
The key to success when searching for information on the Internet is to take some time to work out exactly what it is you are trying to find. Before allowing students access to the computers, get them to create a search strategy for the types of information they are hoping to collect. The following proforma can be used to help students create their search strategy.
Developing an Internet search strategy Step 1: Summarise the topic you are researching e.g. I want to find information on how alcohol can affect driving skills I want to investigate how the media can impact on adolescent body image
Step 2: Identify the key concepts in your topic summary in Step 1 e.g. I want to find information on how alcohol can affect driving skills I want to investigate how the media can impact on adolescent body image Step 3: Create a list of words or phrases that describe each of these key concepts
Step 4: Connect words and concepts into search terms e.g. use logical (Boolean) operators – OR, AND, NOT – to create relationships between the search words and/or phrases (see below for further information on Boolean logic) |
Keep in mind that search engines can be indiscriminate. Be aware that some of the resources they collect may be outdated, inaccurate, or incomplete. Others, of course, may come from responsible sources and provide you with valuable information. That’s why it is always important to evaluate all your search results carefully, to ensure that the information you are collecting is up-to-date and accurate.
What is Boolean logic and how does it work?
The Internet is a massive database of information and in order to search the contents of the database certain principles need to be followed. These principles are based on Boolean logic, which refers to the logical relationship between search terms.
Boolean Operators | Use for | Examples |
AND
| Use AND to get fewer search results | adolescents AND media |
OR
| Use OR to get more search results | adolescents OR teenagers
|
NOT
| Use NOT to get fewer search results | media NOT radio |
The Boolean operators are used within search terms to create relationships between key words. For example, if you were to type in adolescents AND “media NOT radio” into Google, the NOT operator is used to search for web pages that include the words adolescents and media but do not include the word radio. By using the NOT operator, you can reduce the number of results returned and ensure that the sites are relevant to your search. It is important to include parentheses around the terms linked to the NOT and OR operators as many search engines will default to AND if an operator is not specified.
Now students have found a website how do they know the information is accurate?
The Internet is a self-publishing medium. This means that anyone can publish on the Internet. It is important to remember this when viewing information from websites. Internet sites change over time according to the commitment and expertise of the author. Some sites demonstrate an expert's knowledge, while others are amateur efforts. Some may be updated daily, while others may be many years old. As with any information resource, it is important to evaluate what you find on the Internet. The following key questions developed by Susan Beck from New Mexico State University Library(1997) provide a framework for evaluating websites and the accuracy of information contained on them.
Criteria for evaluating websites
I. Authority
Is there an author? Is the page signed?Is the author qualified? An expert?Who is the sponsor?Is the sponsor of the page reputable? How reputable?Is there a link to information about the author or the sponsor?If the page includes neither a signature nor indicates a sponsor, is there any other way to determine its origin?
II. Accuracy
Is the information reliable and error-free?Is there an editor or someone who verifies/checks the information?
III. Objectivity
Does the information show a minimum of bias?Is the page designed to sway opinion?Is there any advertising on the page?
IV. Currency
Is the page dated?If so, when was the last update?How current are the links? Have some expired or moved?
V. Coverage
Whattopics are covered?What does this page offer that is not found elsewhere?What is its intrinsic value?How in-depth is the material? (Susan Beck, 1997)
The criteria of Authority and Objectivity are particularly important for students when they are making judgements about websites containing health information. The PDHPE syllabus now reflects the importance of developing critical literacy skills in order for students to be able to recognise cues of reliability and accuracy in electronic forms of health information. In class, ask students to go to the following websites on weight loss and complete the above criteria checklist.
Betalife - http://www.betalife.com.au/Weight-Loss-Program.asp
Better Health Channel - http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Weight_loss_common_misconceptions?OpenDocument
Diet Solutions - http://www.dietsolutions.com.au/
Easy Weight Loss - http://www.easyweightloss.com.au/
Calorie King - http://www.calorieking.com.au/
As a class, compare and discuss students’ findings. Which websites did they think were reputable sites? What cues indicated this? Which websites were not as credible? What cues indicated this? Try a similar activity with another health issue such as smoking, alcohol use or safe partying.
The key to using the Internet is to always tread warily. Emphasise to students the importance of not believing everything they read, and if they are in doubt, check the information with that on other websites or in print form from reputable sources. The Internet is an amazing tool but students need the necessary skills to use it properly.
References
Beck, Susan. "Evaluation Criteria." The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: or, Why It’s a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources. 1997. http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html
