Special+Reference+Topics

Special Reference Topics 

In this section you will find helpful strategies and useful resources to assist you when you are doing research. [|Choosing the Right Keyword] The single most important thing to do when searching the internet is to know the right keywords to type in the search box. Without the right keywords, your search for information will never be successful. Although this site is directed towards people who are creating websites, many of the strategies also apply when you're doing research. This website will teach you strategies to help you choose the right keywords when doing research.
 * Keyword Strategies**

[|Websearch Strategies] This website will help you streamline your research process. One link in particular talks specifically about keyword strategies such as identifying keywords, possible synonyms or alternative words.

[|Four Nets For Better Searching] Learn how to narrow your search and get the specific results you're looking for! There are practice worksheets and examples for four different research strategies, keywords and exact phrases being one of them.

[|Learning More About Search Engines and Subdirectories] Here is a list of frequently asked questions when it comes to using search engines. Learn how to improve your searching techniques by using the best keywords, wildcards, and "Boolean operators". You'll also learn how to effectively narrow or widen your searches.

[|Ask Jeeves for Kids] Here's a kid friendly search engine just for you! Just type in a question that you want the answer to. Ask Jeeves for Kids will quickly give you a list of questions and answers similar to yours, and you just pick the one that is closest to what you want to know.
 * Search Engines**

[|KidsClick!] This is a fun search engine for just for kids, created by librarians. If you want to search the internet, this is a great search engine to get you started.

[|Website Investigator] Use a range of frowning faces to super smiling faces to evaluate any website. This is a great tool for all elementary school students! Very simple, and straight forward. Simply answer a series of questions, and then calculate a number score for the website. Based upon the number of points a website scores, it is then given a rating ranging from "awesome" to "below average".
 * Evaluating websites**

[|Evaluating Internet Sources Tutorial] This website will teach you how to evaluate internet sites to determine if they are worthy to use while doing your research. Not every website you find on the internet is reputible or accurate, therefore you must examine it and decide if it is one you should use or not. After reading through the tutorials, there are worksheets to test your knowledge and links to websites to practice your "evaluating" skills.

[|Easy Bib] The wonderful tool will help you cite your sources in your bibliography when completing your research projects. Just choose your source, and type in the inforamtion and this website will do the rest for you!
 * Citing electronic resources**

[|Citation Style For Research Papers] Here is one website that will teach you how to cite your references using MLA, APA, and Turabian styles. There are detailed notes, descriptions, and color coded examples of each style as well.

[|Art Rights] Here children can learn about copyright laws and the dangers of plagerism. In child friendly terms you'll learn about trademarks, licensing, and valuing an artist's rights regarding their creative work.

[|Information Seeking Behavior] Here's a website that will teach you through a visual model the process of information literacy research. The process is broken down into nine steps and you can click on each one to get a further detailed explanantion of the step. When you click on the step, it will also give you additional links, tips, and tutorials to help you thoroughly understand that step in the research process.
 * Information literacy research model**

[|The Big 6] Here's a kid friendly way to break down the research process. Simple steps will help you from beginning to end. You can click on grades K-2 or 3-6, depending on your grade level, for models.

[|Florida Research Model] My favorite information literacy research model of all! This model, know as FINDS, breaks down research into five easy steps anyone can understand! Here you'll find online documents and worksheets you can print out to help you use this model.