Once you have determined what you want to search, and you have the template ready to document your sources, it is time to begin searching for information. This process begins with an overview of many sources that you will narrow down to just a few. However, finding the most options available will help you to choose the best ones (much like buying that new pair of $200 sunglasses, you want to make sure you have seen all of your choices before you select one). Remember that you are searching for careers that you think students should learn about in the Career Exploration class at the new school. Choose careers that you are familiar with and interested in.
Start by typing the basic keywords of your topic (such as "sunglasses" or the title of your career) into a search engine. Keep in mind that different search engines search in different ways. The amount of information and accuracy of that information both depend upon how the engine is managed. Engines such as Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) require their sources to register their site, while engines such as Lycos (http://www.lycos.com) might have more information, but do not control it in any way.
Google (http://google.com) has become one of the more commonly used sites, while Dogpile (http://www.dogpile.com) is often used because of its ability to search many other engines all at once. Select two or three different search engines and compare the results you get. This provides for the most variety of sites on your topic.
In order to begin your search you can either click on the links provided above, or open a new window within your browser. Be sure to search a few different engines to find out some basic information on your topic. You might want to bookmark any sites that appear to be something you want to look at more closely later. Just know that bookmarking a website at school means it will only be saved within your current session; you will NOT be able to access the bookmark once you have closed the browser.
Created by Gayle Taylor
Last Updated August 8, 2007