F R E E T E C H 4 T E A C H E R S . C O M
Refinement Tools Within Google
Google offers some excellent search refinement tools that a lot of teachers
and students don’t take advantage of. These are three of the best.
Related Search
Timeline
Related search is probably the
Wonder Wheel
Google’s Timeline option allows
most obvious search altering
Wonder Wheel is not as easy to
users to refine their searches by
option offered by Google, but
find as the “related search” option
the dates referenced in the online
because the related search terms
on Google. To locate Wonder
materials. Timeline displays a
are usually buried at the bottom of
Wheel, click the “more options”
chart on which users can click to
the page, students often don’t click
link that appears at the top of any
find materials referencing a
on the options.
list of Google results. Wonder
particular date or range of dates.
A lot of students when given an
Wheel is then found in the list on
open-ended research assignment
the left side of the page.
struggle to pick the right terms to
Wonder Wheel takes the concept
enter into a search. Often once
of web and applies it to search
Timeline is particularly useful for
they’ve entered a set of terms,
refinement. Enter any search term
history students.
they’re unhappy with the results.
in Wonder Wheel and that term
Direct them to try the related
will appear in the center of the
search terms that are
web. Each branch of the web
Related to Timeline is a new
automatically generated by
contains a related search term.
option for refining search results
Google.
Click one of those terms and a new
by the date on which something
A small tweak in the choice of
web will be generated and linked
was posted online. Users can
search terms, particularly a tweet
to the original web. It’s a good way
specify that they want results only
of operator words, can yield
for student to learn about
from the last day, week, month,
significantly different results. Each
connections between terms.
year, or they can specify a
time students tweaks their search
particular date or range of dates.
You can see a video of Wonder
terms, new related search terms
Click the “show options” link after
Wheel in action by clicking here.
appear.
entering your search terms, to find
Or visit http://freetech4teachers.com/
this option.
2009/05/google-wonder-wheel-in-
action.html
Permission is granted for non-commercial reproduction. For questions about reproduction of this material please contact the author at richardbyrne@freetech4teachers.com
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7