From Google to Academic Search Premiere

Class: PWR 1/PWR 2

Activity brief description: This exercise asks students to search their topic across a variety of platforms  (from popular to academic) and then reflect on the results.

Schedule: This activity was originally designed to be completed immediately prior to the Library Workshop, which would mean it would be done in weeks 3 or 4.  For PWR 2, since it is a research refresher, it could be useful as early as weeks 2 or 3.

Activity length:  In this group-based format, plan at least 30-40 minutes for this activity.

Activity goals: To help students learn how to access resources for a specific topic and to start to understand the differences between different search engines.

Activity details: See handout (Stanford affiliates only)

Additional notes:  This activity builds on one originally developed by Phyllis Kayten, Senior Reference Specialist at Green Library, to be used specifically as preparation for PWR 1 library workshops. Note also that the activity presupposes the students’ familiarity with Stanford Library search platforms, including Searchworks, or that the instructor will introduce students to these platforms prior to this activity (and to the workshop).  In Phyllis's original version, the instructor chooses a sample topic for students to investigate; in Christine's version (attached here) the students are working on their own research topics.

This activity could be easily adapted as a research refresher for PWR 2.

A version of this activity was originally published as an Activity of the Week in spring 2014.