Students Middle school students are just beginning to get a handle on researching, They are beginning to be able to pull information form well written, approved sources, but they have not typically had much experience with evaluating what makes a good source of information. Searching can lead a student into areas that are inappropriate for them and to sites that contain biased opinions masquerading as facts. When a middle school student attempts a search on a general search engine, much time can be wasted.
Most search engines produce results that are overwhelming with too much information to sort through.
Alternatively, make a list of topic-specific bookmarks for students. Begin students with Online Reference Web Sites for topics that can be found in encyclopedias, dictionaries, maps or biographies. Have them search multiple resources in this section. Make sure that the students try multiple educational search engines, since they often contain different web sites. Make student aware of what advertisements look like on web sites and establish a policy of not wasting any time clicking on advertisements.