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Greatest Paper Ever Written

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  • Search engine: a website that provides search tools used to locate content on the Web. Usually search engines collect information on a large number of websites and places them in an index that can be searched quickly to find needed information... more

The Greatest Paper Ever Written - a familiar story?

on the internetAnother long day in class is almost over. Thank goodness. At least there will be no homework tonight. 

Wait! The teacher is saying something. Oh noooooo! She is saying those dreaded words…

 "Your assignment is… Please write at least five pages. Please type. The paper is due on…." 

You miss some of the details. No problem. This will be an easy assignment now that you have access to a computer and the Web. No worries. The assignment is quickly forgotten except for the few words scribbled in your class notebook. 

Fast forward to the night before the paper is due. Your computer is on. You click off the game program and open your favorite broswer to the "all knowing" World-wide-web. The paper writing begins. This is going to be a snap. 

You open a search engine. Inside the search box you type a word or two about the paper's topic. Click. You tap the enter key with confidence. A moment passes. Onto the screen pops one of 40 pages that include 10,000 possible websites. 

You are filled with a feeling of absolute power. This will be the greatest - and easiest -- paper ever written. 

Click. You select the first link. It turns out to be a product name for some company in New Zealand. Click. The second link turns up another dead end. Click. Click. Click… So do the next 30 links. A hard knot begins to form in the pit of your stomach. 

Time to try another search engine. Don't panic yet. 

Oh no! It comes up with the same or similar websites. A glance at the clock on the wall only increases your heart rate. You mutter something about "never again waiting until the last minute." 


trapDoes this story sound familiar? Using the Web to do research for a class assignment can be a good experience. It can also turn into a nightmare. Carpenters must learn how to use their hammer and chisels. Plumbers learn how to use their wrenches. The Web is also a tool. Learn how to use it and avoid the Web search trap. Just select a topic from the gold box on the right to learn more about finding what you need on the Web.

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