This presentation briefly demonstrates why one should not always trust Google nor Wikipedia, gives principles for deciding whether an online source is trustworthy, and introduces good online sources and ways of doing research online.

1. New Media, New Research: Using the internet
in research for the A level Extended Project
Terese Bird
Learning Technologist and SCORE Research Fellow
For Queen Elizabeth I College EPQ seminar 29 Oct 2013
www.le.ac.uk
Photo by slimlibrary on Flickr

2. What will we talk about?
• Google’s tricks
• What is a good source?
• Excellent online ‘libraries’
• Wikipedia
• How to reference YouTube,
iTunes U, Flickr
• Online surveys and
interviews
Photo by Ed Yourdon on Flickr

3. The truth about Google
• Google is a business, not a
service
• When you Google something, the
results are different from when
your friend Googles it
• Companies pay other companies
to improve search returns on
Google – sneaky cheats
Photo by Mr_Stein on Flickr
http://www.jrdg.com/trends/the-dirty-little-secrets-of-search-wonder-why-google-let-j-cpenney-cheat

4. My husband’s computer
My computer

5. Why are your search results different from mine?
• Location – Google knows where you are
• Personalisation – Google knows what you’ve clicked
• Data Centre – Google has at least 36
• Algorithm testing – 40% of searches are tests
Image by
Squidooer on
Flickr
http://themetaq.com/articles/reasons-your-google-search-results-are-different-than-mine

6. How can I tell if a website is reliable? (Lee College, 2007)
• Author
• Publisher
• Purpose
– To sell?
– To persuade?
– Hobby?
– Public service?
– Scholarship?
– General Info?
• Purpose
– Scholars/general?
– Age group?
– Geographic area?
– Profession?
• Information
– Regular updates?
– Citations
– What sites are linked?

12. Good material: OCWC

13. Good material: blogs by experts
Blog post by an expert

14. New online ‘libraries’: YouTube.edu
youtube.com/education

15. New online ‘libraries’: iTunes U

16. http://youtu.be/hiZ1KTfeZ38
New online ‘libraries’: iTunes U

17. Flickr

18. Vimeo – vimeo.com

19. Wikipedia

20. Wikipedia
• Anyone can add or edit
• Neutral Point of View
• Don’t cite it’, but use the references
• Anything without a reference will probably be
removed
• Is it trustworthy?

23. Look at the author’s profile

24. Social Media Citations (Gamboa, 2013)

25. Internet power for surveys:
SurveyMonkey, KwikSurveys
• SurveyMonkey

26. Internet power for interviews
• Skype
• Google Hangout
• Ask permission to
record or quote
Photo by Annette Schwindt on Flickr

27. Internet Power: Twitter

28. Internet Power: Twitter

29. Use the internet wisely
Photo by ocean.flynn on Flickr

30. References
• Gamboa, C. (2013). How to Cite Social Media in Scholarly Writing | SAGE
Connection – Insight. Sage Connection. Retrieved from
http://connection.sagepub.com/blog/2013/09/17/how-to-cite-socialmedia-in-scholarly-writing/
• LeeCollege. (2007). How Can I Tell if a Website is Reliable? University of
Texas website. Retrieved from
http://www.edb.utexas.edu/petrosino/Legacy_Cycle/mf_jm/Challenge
1/website reliable.pdf
• Segal, D. (2013). Search Optimization and Its Dirty Little Secrets NYTimes.com. New York Times Business Day. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/business/13search.html?_r=0
• Snipes, S. (2012). Reasons Your Google Search Results Are Different Than
Mine | Articles | Meta Q. Q Digital website. Retrieved from
http://themetaq.com/articles/reasons-your-google-search-results-aredifferent-than-mine