How Many Hits?

"When we hear 'Wow, I got 1,000 hits!' we know we have not met our responsibility to our students," says Dr. Marianne Handler, professor at National-Louis University. Experimenting with and discussing Web search techniques helps students discover that the true challenge is to get just a few hits. One can make a game out of this challenge, with a variety of playful races designed to hone fact-finding skills.

As your students work on refining their search skills, take the opportunity to discuss what they have learned. Can they come up with a list of tips for other students trying to narrow in on information quickly? What suggestions-from tutorials, teachers, peers, or elsewhere-were most helpful to them?