In this article, Keith Ferrell taught his students a lesson about research. He had them type in specific search criteria into Google's search engine for projects on "The Tree Octopus" and "All About Explorers." Students clicked on the links for the top results and wrote down information they assumed to be factual, such as Bill Gates helped finance one of Magellan's expeditions. After discussing the class' findings, students began to find holes in the research. One of the main websites was developed by teachers to show the pitfalls of blindly Googling with using critical thinking skills. Also, just because there are pictures included, doesn't mean those weren't photoshopped.
Question 1: Why is it important students know how to properly research?
Each year, students will use research for new, more challenging projects. It is essential they have a strong base of skills to build from. Students should be able to discern what primary and secondary sources are. Students need to be able to question sources for bias, expertise and quality.
Question 2:What are some basics students should know when looking for reputable sites?
Students should look at the URL suffixes such as .com, .org, .gov and .edu because each type of site has different standards it is held to. Students should also ask critical thinking questions about the sources such as who, what, where, when, why, how?
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