When I was at school our first port of call for homework and
school project research were the heavy, gold embossed volumes of Encyclopaedia
Britannica which decorated the shelves in my father’s study. Not so now, since
children have such wide access to a wealth of information at their finger-tips
via the internet.
Here are a few tips to pass on to your teenager to advise on
how to use the internet effectively for research.
Establish rules for browsing which should be discussed and
keep an eye on what they are up to. Ideally put the computer in a central location
or if they’re using a laptop in their room, insist the door stays open and pop
in regularly.
Encourage them to vet the author by looking into experience
and level of expertise via their website. Are they a recognized, reputable or credible
source of information and hence can their opinion be trusted?
Ask yourself, is the opinion one-sided? Researching both
points of view and both sides of the argument is critical to forming a balanced
view, once in possession of all the facts and several different opinions.
The internet has the huge advantage of making it possible to
research information, opinions and ideas globally. However it’s important to be
aware of where the site you’re looking at originates to truly understand the
background to the information source.
Be sure to select search keywords and phrases carefully. The
closer they are to your specific topic of interest or question, the more likely
you are to find what you’re looking for. Getting the keywords wrong may mean you
become bogged down with heaps of irrelevant information.
Look beyond page one of Google search results and be wary of
sponsored links to boost posts for commercial reasons.
Remember that Google is not the only search engine. Using others
will bring up different results.
Beware of plagiarism and respect copyright. Information found
on websites should not be reproduced word for word through use of copy and
paste. Always give credit to research resources.
We advise families from the UK and all over the world, helping them to make the right education choices at the right time.
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