Searching the Online catalog and the World Wide Web

The article discusses the searching behaviors of school children using the online catalog and the World Wide Web. The amount of information and search capability for the online catalog and the World Wide Web, though, differ to a great extent, students share several common problems in using them. They have problems in spelling and typing, phrasing of search terms, extracting key concept, formulating search strategy, and evaluating search results. Their specific problems of searching the World Wide Web include rapid navigation of the Internet, overuse of Back button and browsing strategy, and evaluating only the first screen. Teachers and media specialists need to address these problems in the instruction of information literacy skills so that students can fully utilize the power of online searching and become efficient information searchers.