Digital Literacy: Effective Search Strategies Part 1
In our increasingly flat, information-rich world, the skill of locating information has become as important as the skill of memorizing information. With more than one trillion pages on the web, finding and managing digital data can certainly be challenging. Our fourth Digital Literacy topic, effective search strategies, divides this vast concept into two manageable, fundamental lessons: choosing words and choosing tools.
To begin our exploration, we took a very low tech approach and focused on the importance of keywords. When it comes to basic searching, language skills, not computer skills, are the key to success:
Search Box Strategy
As an initial skills assessment I used several of the “Internet Search Challenges” from the Illinois Science and Math Academy (ISMA). To see how you fare, take a moment and try the Kermit Challenge:
Although a number of students (and teachers) eventually found the correct URL (and hopefully you did too), developing a Search Box Strategy of defining, searching, scanning, and revising will improve the efficiency of the search process:
Image Source: ISMA
When using a Search Box Strategy, it is important to note that not all search terms are created equal. As ISMA explains, four categories of words comprise most search tasks:
- Keywords that are effective “as is”
- Intermediate words that represent important ideas but probably are not effective “as is”
- Words that have little effect on the outcome
- Stop words that are ignored by a search engine
Identifying “as is” keywords is often difficult and vocabulary plays an important role in this process. In the Kermit Challenge, the correct answer will be returned as the first result using just two effective keywords. Younger students may prefer to use “natural language” queries, but I strongly encourage middle school students to scan snippets and identity the “nyms” that can improve their vocabulary and search strategy skills.
Nyms: What’s in a Name?
The term”nym” comes from the Greek word onoma, to name. A hyponym describes things more specifically; a hypernym describes things more generally. Although search engines like Ask.com will suggest terms (nyms) that can broaden or narrow a search, searchers should learn to scan snippets (the brief descriptions returned with search results) and identity useful nyms for themselves.
To practice using nyms and snippets, we utilized the interactive Snowsport Challenge series. As the students and faculty worked through the exercises, it was interesting to observe that many of the self-professed “Internet-challenged” adults outperformed their young charges. Why? Better language skills translate to better search skills. A good vocabulary, when coupled with the right tools (our topic for next time) and some intentional practice can turn anyone into a search expert.
September 30th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Very useful post and the IMSA materials look fabulous. The capacity to identify keywords for searching is vital and too often not taught.
Teachers often assume a lot with students when it comes to information/digital literacy.
The structured and systematic teaching of these skills needs to be integrated into all subject areas.Elaine
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
This is great. Every year I work on search strategies with the students. I hadn’t come across this website. I found it in a minute and forty seconds, so when I teach this lesson I’ll have a time for them to compare to. I hadn’t heard of hyponyms and hypernyms either. I have to take a long slow look at all the content in this post. I’ve bookmarked it for later. Thanks for sharing!
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:56 am
Elaine and Ann–
Thanks so much! Searching is such an important skill and we often assume too much with our students. The IMSA materials are GREAT and we’ve making good use of them. Our next lesson will be on “advanced” searching and alternative search engines. Hopefully they’ll be some good info there for you; I’ll post something on that in a week or so.
Cheers!
pat
December 13th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
[...] Digital Literacy: Effective Search Strategies Part 1 In our increasingly flat, information-rich world, the skill of locating information has become as important as the skill of memorizing information. With more than one trillion pages on the web, finding and managing digital data can certainly be challenging. (tags: information_literacy research) [...]
January 31st, 2009 at 10:08 am
[...] from Technology in the Middle outlines several important components of Web Search Strategies on Digital Literacy: Effective Search Strategies. I especially liked the definition of search words he mentions from the Illinois Science and Math [...]
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July 28th, 2010 at 11:23 am
I use search strategies in just doing research on subjects for presentations. Cristy
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