Choosing and Using Keywords

Technology Class Grade 6

Ms. PirtleOctober 2011

Vocabulary

• Query– A question that you ask a search

engine• Keyword– Any word that is used to query a

search engine.

Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 2

Keyword Rules

• You don’t need capital letters• Choose the best combination of words based on

their usage in a sentence (parts of speech)• Avoid:– One word searches – Non-essential words– Stop words

• Small parts of speech—”and,” “it” “you,” “then,” “for”

• Use no more words than are necessaryCommon Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 3

Power Words

• Proper nouns• Numbers • Words that explain WHO, WHAT,

WHERE, WHEN, and WHY• Use a thesaurus!

Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 4

Search Operators

• A search operator is an instruction that joins keywords to form a new, more complex query.

Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 5

• Narrow your search down– Example, try:• soccer fans• How many “hits” did Google return?

– Now, try:• “soccer fans”• How many “hits” did Google return this time?

Double Quotation Marks “ ”

Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 6

Inclusion Operator (+) or AND

• Search engine to look for certain terms together• Put a plus sign or the word AND in front of the word

you want to appear with the first word• Try– pumpkin pie– How many “hits” did Google return?

• Now, try:– pumpkin +pie– How many “hits” this time?

Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 7

The Exclusion Operator (-) or NOT

• When you don’t want results that include that particular word

• Put a minus sign or the word NOT in front of the word you don’t want to appear

• Try:– Searching dolphins– But what if you don’t want football?

• Now, try:– Searching dolphins –football– Tip: be sure to put a space only after dolphins!Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 8

Wildcard Symbol

• Use an asterisk to search for part of a word or a whole word that may have several endings– Try this:• Search for legislator• How many “hits” did Google return this time?

– Now:• Search for legis*• How many “hits” did Google return this time?

Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 9

Conclusion

• Powerful keywords create an effective query

• Use a thesaurus • Operators help to focus your

search

Common Sense Media. (2011). The Key to Keywords. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/key-keywords-6- 10