Title: 
Internet Research:
How to find what you looking for online and use it in your paper

Creator: Ms. Lisa Cheby

Description: This lesson is meant as an introductory lesson in online research.  I find that while most students know how to get online and find their favorite music video, they have little knowledge about the workings of the internet and how to use it effectively for academic research.  I also have embedded lessons about plagiarism in this lesson, including ways to avoid plagiarizing (this was a big problem in my senior class last year).  By doing the lesson online, the students may work at their own, get hands-on practice working online, and get to ask basic questions about how to do research without getting caught up in the topic of a research paper.  I have used this lesson once with some success and have since revised it (such as adding the worksheets) to make the steps more streamlined and to assist the students in recording the information they learn.  I also suspect familiarity with the internet as learning tool will allow students to be more successful in more in-depth, group oriented webquests such as the ones we looked at in class.

Grade Level: 10th, 11^th (may be adapted for any)
Objectives:

• Students will be able to recognize various parts of a URL and analyze the parts to determine information about a website.
• Students will be able to formulate a plan for researching a topic and use internet search engines.
• Students will be able to evaluate whether or not a website is valid and useful for inclusion in their research.
• Students will be able to collect data for citing online sources and for creating bibliographies for online sources.

CA Standards:
9th/10th Grade:

·         2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
Structural Features of Informational Materials
2.2 Prepare a bibliography of reference materials for a report using a variety of consumer, workplace, and public documents. Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.3 Generate relevant questions about readings on issues that can be researched

·         1.0 Writing Strategies: Research and Technology
1.3 Use clear research questions and suitable research methods (e.g., library, electronic media, personal interview) to elicit and present evidence from primary and secondary sources.
1.5 Synthesize information from multiple sources and identify complexities and discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found in each medium (e.g., almanacs, microfiche, news sources, in-depth field studies, speeches, journals, technical documents).
1.7 Use appropriate conventions for documentation in the text, notes, and bibliographies by adhering to those in style manuals (e.g., Modern Language Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style).

11th/12th Grade:

·         1.0 Writing Strategies
Research and Technology
1.6 Develop presentations by using clear research questions and creative and critical research strategies (e.g., field studies, oral histories, interviews, experiments, electronic sources).
1.7 Use systematic strategies to organize and record information (e.g., anecdotal scripting, annotated bibliographies).
1.8 Integrate databases, graphics, and spreadsheets into word-processed documents.

Resources

• Access to the Internet
• Internet Quiz
• Worksheets
• Paper and Pen
• Notecards (optional)
• Internet Evaluation Sheet

 

The Lesson:   About 30 minutes minimum should be allowed for each component, depending on the reading level and the internet fluency of the students.  Generally, Part 1 will take a bit longer if it is the first time students are doing a webquest style lesson.  I would even suggest doing the first few questions with the students.  However, most will want to work at their own pace and answering individual questions should be expected.    

1. Preparation for Part 1:  Give students the internet quiz and have students individually then as a whole class create a list of pros and cons for using the internet for research and for traditional library research.

2. In the computer lab, access the webquest “How to do internet research” online at: http://www.geocities.com/lcheby/Cheby.htm  Students should have the corresponding worksheets to whatever part(s) they are to complete that day.  The worksheets may be found at the Standards and Resources link on the website.

3. Preparation for Part 2:  If time in the lab is limited, then students may do the first part in class as a traditional lesson.

4.  Parts 3 – 5 need to be completed online as the tasks outline.  

Assessment:
1. Students will be assessed on their completion of the worksheets, including evidence of trying activities on their own and correcting mistakes as they progress through the lesson. 

2.  Students will be assessed on their behavior in the computer lab (staying on task, asking relevant questions, reading and following directions).

3.  Students will be given a quiz (derived from the opening and closing quizzes) to be graded and will be given materials to create a citation and bibliography entry. 

4.  Students will continue to be assessed on these skills in subsequent research papers and projects.