Notes on Session: Advanced Google Search, Book-Review Sourcing, and Previewing Techniques

Session Overview

  • Classroom policy: cell phones must be hidden and silent as stated in the policy.
  • Matthew distributed a handout on success strategies. Students should identify their own strategy on the hard copy by highlighting, starring, or circling their number.
  • Session goal: learn advanced Google search techniques to find valid, credible sources for the assignment; then find a book review related to the chosen book for the reflection paper.
  • There will be a “double-dip” day: first address success strategies, then search for sources; later, Matthew will show how to locate a book review.
  • Students will copy and paste useful URLs to themselves via email for easy access.
  • A list will be circulated with success strategies; students should write their name and the number of their strategy.
  • Closing: Matthew will hand back to the instructor to summarize the book-review search workflow and address questions.

Advanced Google search: goals and setup

  • Start with Google on a desktop or device and log in.
  • Purpose: perform an advanced search to narrow results and surface credible sources.
  • Rationale: standard Google yields millions of results; advanced search helps filter to relevant, credible material.
  • Practice and repetition improve proficiency in using advanced search features.

Core concepts in advanced search (jogging memory from the session)

  • Basic concept: in an advanced search, you have multiple boxes for terms and operators.
  • Word matching options:
    • All these words: web pages must include all the listed words (AND-like behavior).
    • Exact word or phrase: use quotes for a precise phrase.
    • Any of these words: at least one of the words appears (OR-like behavior).
  • Phrase search example: to search for a specific phrase, put it in quotes, e.g. "reading online".
  • Phrase precision note: quotes imply exact ordering and adjacency, helping refine results when a phrase is critical.
  • Example exploration: starting with "reading online" can surface online-reading discussions; if results are too broad, adjust phrasing.
  • Iterative refinement: if results are too broad or misaligned, try different keywords and combinations until relevant material surfaces.
  • The challenge: identifying the best keywords to yield credible sources rather than noise.
  • Targeted refinements on the page tail: you can filter by last updated, and crucially by site or domain to boost credibility.

Domain filtering and credibility: domain-based search strategies

  • Domain filter concept: limit results to a specific domain ending (e.g., ext{.edu}) to surface academic or educational materials.
  • Why .edu? Educational domains reflect materials produced by higher education institutions and researchers.
  • Other common domains: .gov (government), .org (organizations), but the focus here is on .edu for credible learning science content.
  • Practical rationale: instructors and researchers often rely on peer-reviewed or academically credible sources hosted on .edu domains.
  • Example of use: filtering results with the domain filter while searching for "reading strategies" to surface credible education-related sources.

Example search trajectory (ample demonstrations from the session)

  • Initial attempts using phrases like "what did I do yesterday" or generic terms lead to broad results; refinement needed.
  • Adjusted search attempts:
    • "reading online" → broad signals, then switched to more precise phrases.
    • Trying: "reading strategies online" or "reading strategies for online course" to target online course contexts.
    • Adjusted wording: adding terms like "online course" improves relevance.
    • Final refinements include terms like "academic terminology" or "specialized course vocabulary" to surface discipline-specific resources.
  • Observed outcome: results improved as search terms became more domain-specific; still required iteration.
  • Key lesson: test multiple phrasing variants to locate the best, most credible sources.

Practical search workflow: locating a credible source for a book-related assignment

  • Start with an established database: Academic Search Complete (top-level database in the library).
  • Step 1: search by book title first (e.g., the title you’re using for the reflection paper).
  • Step 2: search using the author’s last name for precision.
  • Step 3: ensure the book-title spelling is accurate to avoid missing results.
  • Step 4: expand the search by adding related databases (e.g., Library Information Science Source, Literary Reference Center, MasterFILE Complete) to broaden the pool of potential book reviews.
  • Example in-session search: for the book titled "They Walked Into Sunlight" with author last name "Marinus" (note: correct title was corrected in-session to "They marched into sunlight" by the instructor during a mishap):
    • Initial search yielded 23 results.
    • Adding related databases increased hits to 43 results.
  • Accessing the actual article:
    • Use "Access Options" to see how the article can be viewed (PDF, HTML full text).
    • If PDF is available, open it to view the review.
    • If HTML, use the built-in navigation features (listen, print, download, share).
  • Citation: use the "Cite" tool to obtain a citation (MLA 9 is available in the session, with MLA 9 recommended; if MLA 8 appears, use close approximation).
  • Copying and sharing: the session emphasizes copying and pasting quotes and citations, or emailing the article to yourself.
  • Alternative sources if no book review exists:
    • Revisit searches with different terminology; try a separate database (e.g., US Newsstream for newspapers).
    • If still no reviews, consult a librarian for guidance.
  • US Newsstream workflow (newspaper-focused): search the exact book title in quotes, with author last name, to locate newspaper reviews or related coverage; could surface serialized content (e.g., first chapters in newspapers).
  • Important caveat: not every book has a review available; if none exist, pivot strategies and seek related discussions or reviews in other formats.
  • Real-world implication: librarians can assist with search refinement and access to databases and interlibrary loans.

Book-note-taking and annotation: a practical example

  • Student example: notes taken for an indigenous literatures class involved extensive annotation:
    • Post-it notes and color-coded highlights to mark quotes, vocabulary, and themes.
    • Inclusion of images to contextualize terms (e.g., booger mask) when a term is unfamiliar.
    • Quotes captured with page numbers to facilitate later citation and quotation in essays.
    • Thematic organization into major events, vocabulary, quotes, and their relation to themes (e.g., trauma, displacement, healing, native values).
  • Personal note-taking philosophy: annotate to actively engage with the material; not everyone will replicate the exact depth, but the goal is meaningful engagement.
  • Practicalities:
    • Page numbers are useful for locating quotes quickly.
    • Color-coding quotes by theme enables fast retrieval when drafting an essay.
    • The approach can be adapted to print or digital formats depending on access.
  • Instructor perspective: samples like Jane’s notes illustrate a thorough, highly organized approach; the key takeaway is to annotate, quote with page markers, and connect to larger themes, even if your own notes are smaller.
  • Bottom line: active note-taking supports constructing a well-supported argument and makes researching more efficient.

Previewing: a foundational before-reading strategy

  • Definition: previewing is a before-reading strategy that helps you understand content structure before reading in depth.
  • Why preview? It builds an outline of the chapter, informs approach, and aligns with your reading purpose (e.g., a lab report vs. a textbook chapter vs. a poem).
  • Relationship to active vs. passive reading: active readers tailor their approach based on purpose; passive readers read everything the same way.
  • Nine steps of previewing (9 steps) are outlined in the source material; you can personalize steps and adopt the ones that work best for you.
  • Example explanation: previewing a magazine vs. a textbook chapter—magazines are often read front-to-back for overall understanding, then revisited for specific sections; this demonstrates iterative preview-reading habits.
  • The session emphasizes that you may adapt steps 8–9 or substitute them as needed for your own workflow.
  • Practical impact: previewing gives a mental outline, helps decide the reading strategy, and reduces cognitive load by focusing on structure first.
  • Page reference: previewing steps are cataloged on page 34 with a total of 9 steps.

Classroom activity: in-class reading exercise and scope

  • Activity setup: chapter one, pages 35 to 37 contain an excerpt on body gestures.
  • Options for partnering: students may work with a partner or individually.
  • Instructions: read only the shaded or highlighted sections (yellow) to illustrate previewing.
  • Task: complete Exercise 1.3 using only the shaded content, without referring back to the passage to answer questions.
  • Time allotment: 5 minutes for the activity.
  • After completion: the class will reconvene to review answers collectively.
  • Learning objective: demonstrate ability to apply previewing steps to a concrete text excerpt and reinforce independent reasoning.

Ethical, philosophical, and practical implications

  • Credibility and ethics of sourcing: using domain filters like \text{.edu} supports finding credible, research-based resources, aligning with scholarly standards.
  • Responsibility in citation: using built-in citation tools (MLA 9) promotes proper attribution and reduces risk of plagiarism.
  • Information literacy: the process teaches evaluation of sources beyond surface-level search results, including access formats (PDF vs HTML) and the utility of listen/print/download features for accessibility.
  • Real-world relevance: librarians and databases are valuable partners; when in doubt, seek guidance to improve research quality and efficiency.
  • Practical caveat: not all books have available reviews; alternate strategies and flexibility in search terms are essential to avoid dead ends.
  • Critical thinking: iteratively refining search terms encourages deeper engagement with the topic and fosters better-informed academic writing.

Quick reference to key terms and tools mentioned

  • Advanced search basics: multiple search boxes, AND/OR logic, and exact phrase searching with quotes.
  • Phrase examples: "reading online"; "reading strategies online"; "online course" context.
  • Domain filter example: .edu for educational domains; rationale based on credibility and scholarly research.
  • Databases discussed:
    • Academic Search Complete (primary)
    • Library Information Science Source
    • Literary Reference Center
    • MasterFILE Complete
  • Book-review workflow: search by book title, then author last name; use Access Options to locate PDF or HTML; use Cite for MLA 9; copy/paste quotes.
  • Newspaper database: US Newsstream for newspaper coverage and potential serialized content.
  • Note-taking approaches: color-coded annotations, page numbers for quotes, thematic organization, and visual/contextual aids (images).
  • Previewing: nine steps (9 steps) to form a mental outline and guide reading strategy; page 34 reference.
  • In-class exercise: shaded regions (yellow) indicate relevant previewing steps; Exercise 1.3; 5 minutes; group review planned.