Tips for Using the World Wide Web to Find Science Education Resources
General Search Tips
Start with a clear idea of what you're looking for, and how much time you want to spend - it's easy to get tangled in the Web! Choose your search words carefully, and think of synonyms or other terms that will help if your search results in too many (or too few) options. In addition to content, think about whether you're looking for background for yourself or students, activities kids can do on-line, a research source (links to other sites), or an activity you can print out for yourself.
Use the right search tools. Google is a great starting place, but there are other big search engines that reveal different things: Yahoo, AskJeeves, and others.
Refine your search language. If a search provides one good result among lots of duds, look at the language used in that result - does it give you any clues about words to use for a more refined search?
Don't' get distracted by accidental treasures that you find in passing. When you find a cool site but it's not what you need right now, bookmark it or add it to your Favorites list. Try making a folder labeled "cool stuff to check out later."
Create a personal library of key sites. When you find what you're looking for, create a bookmark or Favorites file that's clearly labeled for your selection(s). If you're not working at your own computer, you can cut and paste the URL (web address) into an email and send it to yourself.
Only print what you need. Save paper by printing out specific sections and looking for printer friendly icons on the page. You can also cut and paste segments of a web page into a Word document if you don't need the whole page or all the graphics. If you create a new document, remember to cut and paste the URL onto the page too so you can find the source again when you need it!
