Module 3 – Online Essentials
Lesson 2 – Searching for Information
Searching the internet effectively is a key digital skill. Search engines help you find websites,
images, videos, news and answers to questions. This lesson explains how to use search engines,
choose good keywords, apply filters and evaluate the reliability of online information.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
- Explain what a search engine is and name common examples.
- Use clear, effective keywords instead of full sentences.
- Apply search techniques such as exact phrases, exclusions and site searches.
- Use filters (Images, News, Date, etc.) to narrow down search results.
- Recognise advertisements in search results.
- Evaluate how reliable and up to date online information is.
- Use safe searching practices to avoid unsafe or misleading websites.
- Use online maps and directions to find places, services and routes.
1. What is a search engine?
A search engine is a tool that helps users locate information on the internet by indexing billions
of webpages and returning results that match your search terms.
Popular search engines include:
- Bing
- DuckDuckGo
- Yahoo Search
Search results may include:
- Webpage links – standard results.
- Adverts – marked as Ad or Sponsored.
- Knowledge panels – quick facts, maps or summaries.
- Images, videos and news articles.
Quick check: Spot the ads
When you perform a search, which results are usually adverts?
- They may appear at the top or bottom of the results page.
- They are labelled with words like Ad or Sponsored.
- They often link to commercial products or services.
2. Using keywords
A keyword is a word or short phrase typed into a search engine. Effective searching depends on:
- Clear and specific keywords
- Relevant terms
- Avoiding full sentences
Example:
- Instead of: “How do I fix my laptop charger that isn’t working?”
- Use: laptop charger not working
You can improve results by adding extra details such as brand, location or year, for example:
best budget laptop 2025 UK.
Mini activity: Turn sentences into keywords
Rewrite these as good search keywords:
- “Where can I find the bus timetable from London to Oxford?”
- “What is the best free antivirus for Windows 11?”
- “I need help learning basic Excel formulas.”
Possible answers:
London to Oxford bus timetablebest free antivirus Windows 11basic Excel formulas tutorial
3. Search techniques
Use advanced search methods to improve accuracy:
- Exact phrase:
"online safety course" - Exclude a word:
jaguar -car - Search within a specific site:
site:nhs.uk diabetes - Use OR:
smartphone OR mobile phone - Search by file type:
filetype:pdf
These techniques help you narrow results and find more relevant, high-quality information.
Self-check: Which search would you use?
Choose a technique for each task:
- Find a PDF user guide for a Samsung phone.
- Get information on diabetes from the official NHS website only.
- Look for the exact phrase basic computer skills.
Answers:
Samsung phone user guide filetype:pdfdiabetes site:nhs.uk"basic computer skills"
4. Search filters
Filters help narrow large numbers of results. Common filters include:
- Images
- Videos
- News
- Maps
- Shopping
- Date/time (e.g., last 24 hours, past week)
You can often filter by language, country or region as well. This is useful when you only want
results from the UK or from a particular country.
Insert Image: Search results page showing filter options.
Try it now
- Search for a news topic (for example: “local elections” or “climate change”).
- Use the News filter.
- Then filter again to show results from the last week only.
- Note how the results change when you apply date filters.
5. Evaluating online information
Not all online information is reliable. Evaluate using these questions:
- Is the source trustworthy? (official organisation, education site, recognised news)
- Is the information up to date? (check publication or last updated date)
- Is the author named and qualified?
- Is the content factual or opinion?
- Do other sources confirm the same information?
- Does the web address look genuine? (for example,
.gov.uk, .nhs.uk, .ac.uk are usually official)
Scenario: Which site would you trust?
You search for health advice on “flu symptoms” and find two sites:
- Site A:
https://www.nhs.uk/..., simple design, no adverts. - Site B:
https://superhealth-magiccure.com, many pop-ups and dramatic headlines.
Which is more trustworthy and why?
The NHS site is more trustworthy: it has an official UK health domain .nhs.uk,
no exaggerated claims and is a recognised organisation.
6. Safe searching
Search results may contain unsafe or misleading sites. Stay safe by:
- Avoiding suspicious or unknown links, especially those that look too good to be true.
- Checking for HTTPS and the padlock symbol on websites that ask for personal
or payment details. - Avoiding downloads from untrusted sources or unfamiliar websites.
- Enabling SafeSearch or similar filters to hide inappropriate content.
- Being careful with search results labelled Ad or Sponsored, and checking that they are from genuine organisations.
Quick check: Safe or unsafe?
For each situation, decide if it is safe or unsafe behaviour:
- Clicking the first result you see, even if the link looks strange.
- Checking the URL and looking for HTTPS before entering card details.
- Downloading free software from an unknown site full of pop-up adverts.
Answers:
- 1 – Unsafe.
- 2 – Safe and recommended.
- 3 – Unsafe (risk of malware).
7. Using online maps and directions
Tools like Google Maps allow users to:
- Search for businesses and services.
- View maps, satellite images and street views.
- Get directions for driving, walking or public transport.
- Check customer reviews, ratings and opening hours.
Online maps can also show live traffic information and alternative routes.
Map task
- Open an online map (such as Google Maps).
- Search for a local service (for example, a library or GP surgery).
- Find its opening hours, phone number and directions from your home or school.
- Check if there are reviews or ratings.
8. Practical Activity
- Search for a topic using three different keyword combinations and compare the results.
- Use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase.
- Apply filters to show only results from the last week.
- Use filetype:pdf to find a downloadable guide.
- Identify which results are adverts and which are normal search results.
- Evaluate two websites on the same topic and decide which is more trustworthy and why.
- Use an online map to find a local service (for example, a library or GP surgery) and note the opening hours.