Boolean Operators & Other Helpful Tools to Aid in Research

This week I learned a great deal about how to search for information. Google has several great tutorials on how to search the web.  I am constantly doing research, and these tips will save me a lot of time. I have chosen a few to discuss below, but I think they are all beneficial, and all students should check them out.

            First let’s look at Boolean Operators. These are symbols or words that can broaden or narrow the search as needed. I knew of the basic ones, “and” “or,” and “not.” What I did not know is there are several symbols that can also affect your search results. These shortcuts help save time and energy.  

One of the biggest time savers I learned is Keywords. I always thought that to get the best results, you needed to use complete sentences. I know a lot of people make the same mistake I have made in the past. A few key words are all it takes to get accurate results. Also, capitalization and punctuation are unnecessary.

            Google has a feature that allows you to search for a specific media type. If you want to use only news sources, then you search through the news media type. If you want to include a video source, you can search through the videos to find the one you are looking for.

            These are some of the information that was knew to me. I learned a lot of great pointers to make my research time more efficient. I highly recommend these tutorials to anyone who wants to learn how to find information quicker and easier. I've included a link to some of these tutorials below.

References:

Google. (n.d.). Basic Search Education Lesson Plans. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/gwebsearcheducation/lessonplans

Google. (n.d.). Understanding Search Engines: What Is The Web? Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_1fqxzphfm

Google. (n.d.). Understanding Search Engines: Google Landing. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_3g56xgggb 

Google. (n.d.). Understanding Search Engines: The Keys To Search City.  Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_6ggcb3ncb 

Google. (n.d.). Search Techniques & Strategies: Which Link Should I Follow? Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_9tqwd32gb 

Google. (n.d.). Search Techniques & Strategies: Mixed Media. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_0hmqhsvdz 

Google. (n.d.). Search Techniques & Strategies: Believe It or Not. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_13cgb55gj9 

Google. (n.d.). Features & Operators: Hello Operators. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_15cd6mwkfm

Google. (n.d.). Features & Operators: Quick Finds. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_17scdcf4fd 

Google. (n.d.). Features & Operators: Slicing & Dicing. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_19ch9gxvgc

Steps for Effective Research

When I started my class on research, I thought it would be easy. I have been doing research projects for years, so this should be no problem. Boy was I wrong. There are so many resources that I never even thought of looking for. I think I need a lot of work if I am going to become a more effective researcher.

Step one is to determine the purpose and the audience of the piece. I don’t always worry about the purpose. When writing about controversial issues, I often write about what side I am on, and only briefly mention the opposing side. The problem, to be effective, I need to cover both sides of the issue in depth. Formatting can also be a problem for me. I am just learning the different formats, and sometimes, I make mistakes. Luckily, there are instructional videos and websites that I can use to perfect the formatting.

Step two is creating a research strategy for the project at hand. I start with an outline, and use the internet to find resources. I thought I was effective in this area, but I seem to be lacking. The purpose of a research strategy is to “avoid wasting time and wandering aimlessly through the massive amounts of information available” (Solomon & Taylor, 2012, pg.24).  I tend to wander quite a bit when researching. I need to be more focused in my searches.

Step three is my evaluating information. This is one area I am good at. I always check my information for accuracy and relevance. My son is studying journalism, and we have discussed the importance of fact checking when writing anything. I do sometimes forget to check for bias, so I do need to work on that. This is the easiest step for me because it has become like second nature to me.

Step four is organization. Once all the information is gathered, it is time to put the paper together. This is where the main ideas of the paragraphs are determined and then put the proper information to support these ideas. I am fairly good at organizing information into proper order so that it makes sense and is orderly.

The final step is communicating the information to others. This is where knowing your audience is important. If you are presenting information in a formal setting, you don’t want the presentation to be informal. You also need to determine how you will present the information. I prefer written, but that is not always the best way to present information. I feel I have a good grasp on communication.

As you can see, I still have a great deal of work to become a great researcher. I am hoping I will become more efficient as I continue my schooling.

References:

Solomon, A., Wilson, G., & Taylor, T. (2012). 100% Information literacy success (2nd ed.). Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.

Library Associations

Getting involved with associations can be very useful for librarians. Our state organization is the Texas Library Association, which is located in Austin, Texas. This association is here to support librarians by providing training, scholarships for continuing education, liability insurance, employment assistance, and advocacy. There are interest groups within this organization. I feel this would be a benefit to me because I can get assistance with furthering my education and finding employment. Also, the interest groups allow me a chance to meet and get support from others in my field.

Another association, that I would join, is Texas Association of School Librarians. This association provides workshops and conferences, advocacy, and collaboration with allied groups. As a future school librarian, this group gives access to others in my field. Also, there are awards, grants, and scholarships to further my education. This can help me grow my media center and further my education.

The third association, I want to join, is the Young Adult Library Services Association. They provide advertising opportunities, literacy programs, awards and grants, book awards and recommended reading lists. They also have conferences, and training, both face-to-face and online. I feel this group would be beneficial to me because it offers so much that I could use for my students, as well as further education for me.

References:

http://www.txla.org/

http://www.txla.org/groups/tasl/

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/

How Parents Can Help Students Become Readers

Parents are the best resource for teachers and librarians to use in order to encourage reading. Parents should read with their children for at least 20 minutes a day. Not just parents, any family member can spend time with the child by reading stories.

When my son was little, my sisters would read him stories, as well as my husband and I. Now, at fifteen, he has a college reading level, and reads at least one book every other day (We are talking 700+ page books like Harry Potter. He can read a 200 page book in a few hours). I credit his love of reading to everyone who read to him as a child, from my sisters reading fairy tales to my husband                                                                                                    reading him the Hobbit at six months.

Also, parents need to be seen reading by the children. Children love to emulate their parents. If a parent is reading, the child wants to be reading too. Children learn by example, so parents need to be that example. Even if you only read for fifteen minute in the evening, children see that, and they learn that reading is important, even when you’re busy. Have a set time when your children are awake, and read. Pretty soon, that set reading time will become family reading time.

A great way to get your children recognizing print is to play the letter game. When driving or riding a bus, we would start on A, and go through the alphabet. The winner is the first person to get to Z. You have to tell what word you got your letter from, so no one else can use the same one. It is great way to get children to recognize words, and they don’t even realize they are learning. My son still loves this game, only now, we go backwards from Z to A to make it more challenging.

 Books on tape or CD can be very beneficial to students. Especially, if it is the first book in a series. This will get the child interested in the story, and they will be more willing to read the next book in the series. When my son, Abe, was in second grade, I got him Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on CD. We already owned several of the books because my husband, my older son, Louis, and I had been following the series. Abe was so excited by the story, he did not want to wait for the next book to come from the library. So, he started reading the series. That really motivated him to read, and he hasn’t stopped since. Also, watching the movies, after they read the books, can be an incentive for reading. Abe loved it when I got him The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe after he read it for school.

Here are some videos you might like to show your kids.

Reference:

Kurt, Erin (N.D.). 11 Way to Instill a Love of Reading in Your Child.  Retrieve at: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-way-to-instill-a-love-of-reading-in-your-child.html

Highly Effective School Librarians

In this post, I will discuss three videos about effective librarians. 

I have included the videos for your viewing.

In the first video, the librarian helped guide students to where they can find information, and instructed them in how to upload the information they need. She also helped them find internet programs that would assist them in their presentation. What I liked about this librarian is she really listened to the students, and then directed them to the best ways to achieve their goal.

In the second video, the librarian is collaborating with a teacher to find ways to incorporate virtual information into the teacher’s class. He also taught the teacher how to use the program. This librarian came up with a great way to incorporate technology into the lesson for the teacher with whom he was collaborating. I feel that collaboration between librarian and teacher is highly beneficial to the students, and give access to information and technology they might not get otherwise.

In the third video, the librarian is collaborating with a teacher to help set-up a website for the students, and to use the space in the library to accommodate kinetic learners in the teacher’s class. Again, I think collaboration is the best thing for the students. In this video, I love how they managed to find a way to present the information in a way that kinetic learners would understand. I feel it is important to teach to all of the different learning styles. That way all students have the ability to understand the information.

These ideas are a great way to meet the needs of the students. I am planning on looking up the different programs mentioned in these videos, so I can become familiar with them, and teach others to use them. When I become a librarian, I intend to collaborate with the teachers in my school, in order to better assist the students. I also plan on finding ways to present information to all of the learning styles. This way, I can help teachers reach all of their students.

Reading Incentives and Ways to Encourage Kids to Read

Reading incentives may not be the best choice to get children to read, unless they already love reading. Our local library has a reading program for kids every summer. If the children reach the reading goal, they get a new book. This works well for students who want books, but those who don’t want to read, are not enticed to participate. Other places offer toys or candy. The problem with these incentives is they are telling the students reading is so bad they need to be paid to do it.  Research shows that once the rewards stop, so does the reading (Willingham, 2014).

When my son was little, getting him to read was a chore. He participated in the reading incentive programs, but only until he reached the minimum goal for a prize. I finally found a way to get him interested in reading. I found a book series that I thought he would like, and only read him book one. If he wanted the rest of the series, he needed to read it for himself.  This strategy worked in ways no incentive program ever had.

          Libraries can help motivate students in several ways. First, there is the incentive program. For students who like reading, this gives them a goal to read more until they get the prize. Another way is their story time. Our library reads a story to the children once a week. This shows the children how wonderful stories are, and entices them to read so they can have more. My favorite program the library offers is the book club. Kids get together once a week and discuss a book they have chosen to read. Kids are more likely to read a book recommended by their peers than by adults. These are just a few of the ways a library can get children reading.

Reference:

Willingham, Daniel (2014). How to Trick Your Kids into Reading All Summer Long. Retrieve at: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/07/how-to-kick-start-summer-reading/373737/

My Reflection of Libraries Through the Years

Libraries have always been important to me. I have always been an avid reader, and I never had enough to read. I made trips to the library on a daily basis to get more to read. By fourth grade, I was introduced to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and loved it so much. They did not have Shakespeare at the elementary school library, so I started going to the public library to get more of the brilliant plays.

 In middle school, I started writing short stories. The library was my haven where I could research new things and incorporate them into my stories. I studied space, mythology, magical creatures, and everything I found interesting. The library became my favorite place. I practically lived there through high school and college. There was no place I would rather be. 





When I started to homeschool my son, I introduced him to the joys of reading. The library was where he learned to read. It has become a place my whole family love to visit. So, when he reached high school, and I started to think about what I wanted to do as a career. I thought about teaching since I have been doing it for so long already. When I looked into education, I found it. Library Science and Media. This was perfect for me. Libraries have been such an important part of my life for so long, it felt like it was meant to be. 

 Libraries have changed so much since I was a child. We did not have computers in the library when I was in elementary school. We had the card catalog. I learned the Dewey Decimal System by the time I was in sixth grade. I used it to find the books I needed for my research. 



There was a large reference section that you could not check out. There were encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and pretty much anything you would need to research. The encyclopedias where so vast, they were split into several books. These are what you used to find information to write research papers. There were overhead projectors that the teachers could check out and use in their classes. It was all very low tech compared to today.

 Today, libraries have several computers where students can research information. There is no card catalog, looking up books is done on the computers. DVDs are available to watch on a TV or computer. Now, you can even get electronic books that are read on a reader or a cell phone. Libraries are not as quiet as they used to be. Before, you were to work silently, so you don’t disturb other students. Now, there are many students working together in groups, and the libraries can be a bit noisy. I talked to a librarian recently, and he said that noise was one of the biggest issues with their study zone. 

 In the future, I believe the computers will be smaller, and more portable. There will be less physical books, and areas to access electronic books instead. Students will be able to use their portable computers to do research and find the books the need. More school assignments will be done over the internet, so librarians will need to be fully trained to use all the latest technology. Librarians will still have the responsibility to assist students in finding and using information. The biggest difference will be where they find the information. With all the changes over the years, I can’t wait to see what comes next.