Online Search and Research Skills | Empowerment Technologies | RenTV

Summary

This video from Empowerment Technologies focuses on enhancing online search and research skills. It explains the internet as a tool for credible research, the process of interactive online searching, and the advantages and disadvantages of online research. The script outlines steps for contextualized searching, including topic identification, defining the task, choosing search methods, identifying reliable sources, and compiling and evaluating research results. It also covers the importance of avoiding plagiarism through proper citation and paraphrasing, and introduces search engines and operators for refined searching.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Online search and research is more than just using Google; it's a skill that needs to be honed for credible information gathering.
• 🔍 The process of online search began in the 1980s with the advent of password databases and smart terminals, allowing interactive searches.
• 📈 Advantages of online research include obtaining large samples for statistical power, automatic data coding to avoid entry errors, and reduced research costs.
• 🔒 Disadvantages include the insecurity of the online environment, where personal information and research materials are at risk of unauthorized access and potential theft.
• 📚 The importance of evaluating the credibility of online materials, as not all content has been reviewed by experts or properly screened.
• 🎯 Contextualized search involves optimizing internet searches based on the context provided, narrowing down results to be more relevant to the search query.
• 📝 Steps for contextualized online search include identifying a topic, defining the task, choosing search methods, identifying reliable sources, formulating research strategies, compiling results, evaluating findings, and creating a list of references for citation.
• 🔬 Research strategies involve listing keywords or topics for internet searches, and identifying books by title, subject, author, or ISBN number.
• 📊 Compiling research results requires strategies for handling large amounts of data, deciding what to keep or discard for final analysis.
• 🔍 Search engines are software systems designed to search for information on the World Wide Web, presenting results on a search engine results page (SERP).
• 🤖 Search operators, also known as search parameters, are characters or strings used to narrow the focus of a search engine query, such as using 'AND', 'NOT', and 'OR' to refine results.
• 📝 Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or imitation of another's work, and avoiding it requires proper citation, use of quotation marks for direct text, paraphrasing with integrity, and adherence to style manuals for source citation.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is to contextualize online search and research skills, emphasizing how to use the internet for credible research and information gathering.

What is the definition of online search and research according to the video?

Online search and research, also known as internet research, is more than just using Google to type in a word and click the search button; it is a skill that needs to be improved to obtain factual information interactively from online databases.

What are some advantages of online search and research mentioned in the video?

The advantages include the ability to obtain a large sample size, which increases statistical power, automatic data coding to avoid entry errors, and reduced cost of conducting research.

What are the potential disadvantages of online search and research as stated in the video?

The disadvantages include the lack of total security online, where personal information can be at risk, and the presence of unevaluated or unscreened materials, as well as the possibility of encountering low-quality or non-accredited information.

What does the video suggest for the first step in making a contextualized online search?

The first step is to identify or choose a topic. If the topic is not provided, one should choose something of interest or with new ideas; if a topic is provided, an initial search of the subject is recommended.

How can one define a topic or task using the internet according to the video?

One can use Google, Wikipedia, or other sources to get a glimpse of what they want to understand and define, helping to properly define the topic or task at hand.

What are some methods of search that one can identify in their research according to the video?

Methods of search can include performing experiments, exploring, or conducting a survey of the subject matter and textual content of the search.

Why are reliable sources important in the research process as mentioned in the video?

Reliable sources are crucial to obtain rich and accurate information for research, ensuring the credibility and validity of the findings.

What strategies can one use to compile research results according to the video?

One can list down all keywords or specific topics to search on the internet, and identified books can be searched by title, subject, author, or ISBN number.

How can one evaluate the results of their research as suggested in the video?

By going through the materials researched and checking them for usefulness, relevance, reliability, and accuracy.

What is the importance of creating a list of references for citation as mentioned in the video?

Creating a list of references is a good practice to keep sources updated for footnotes and bibliography, saving time when revisiting the internet for further research.

What is the role of search engines in the online search process?

Search engines are software systems designed to search for information on the World Wide Web, presenting results in a line result known as a search engine result page, which may include web pages, images, and other types of files.

What are search operators and how are they used in the context of the video?

Search operators, sometimes referred to as search parameters, are characters or strings of characters used in a search engine query to narrow the focus of the search, with examples including the use of 'AND', 'NOT', and 'OR' to refine search results.

What is plagiarism and how can one avoid it according to the video?

Plagiarism is the act of using or closely imitating the language and thought of another author without authorization, presenting that author's work as one's own without proper credit. To avoid plagiarism, one should cite sources, use quotation marks for direct text, paraphrase carefully, and use a style manual for proper citation.