Online Search and Information Literacy
FoundationSearch well with keywords, judge sites by source, date and content, cite what you use, and guard accounts with strong passwords — be a responsible digital citizen.
- Search with precise keywords, using quotes, years and site filters.
- Judge information by source, date and content, cross-checking reliable sites.
- Quote in your own words and cite the source — respect copyright, refuse plagiarism.
文體小知識：資訊素養說明文教我們善用搜尋引擎、判斷資訊真偽和保護自己，做精明的網絡使用者。
§Text Passage
1When a question puzzles us, most people first turn to a search engine, which finds web pages matching the keywords typed in. Searching has skills: choose precise keywords — to learn what a black hole is, type what is a black hole rather than just black hole; add a year to find the newest data; add PDF to find report documents.
2Online material varies in quality, so judge reliability: first the source — government sites, universities and well-known encyclopaedias beat anonymous blogs; second the date — outdated data may no longer hold; third the content — does it list references, and is the tone objective; fourth compare — check several sites on the same question. When several reliable sites agree, the claim is more credible.
3Using material means respecting copyright: when a report quotes online material, express it in your own words and name the source — the site and the date. Pictures and music carry copyright; never download and use them freely, but choose licensed or free-to-use material. Copying others' work is dishonest and may be unlawful.
4Protect yourself online too: set strong passwords — eight characters or more, mixing capitals, small letters, numbers and symbols, different for each account; never give personal details to people met online; never click strange links; and keep screen time in check with a daily plan. Information literacy is a must in the digital age.
1Summary 重點摘要
Search well with keywords, judge sites by source, date and content, cite what you use, and guard accounts with strong passwords — be a responsible digital citizen.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The tool that finds web pages from keywords.
The word typed to search; the more precise, the better the results.
The ability to find, judge and use information properly.
How trustworthy a source and its content are.
Where information comes from, such as a government site or encyclopaedia.
The legal right protecting creators' work; permission is needed before use.
Naming the source and date when quoting material.
A hard-to-guess password mixing letters, numbers and symbols.
Passing off others' work as one's own — dishonest and possibly unlawful.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Choose precise keywordsThe first step of searching is choosing precise keywords — the more specific the words, the more accurate the results. For example, to find what pandas eat, type giant panda food rather than just panda, because the former names both the species and the question. Before searching, think about the heart of the question and pick the most important words, saving both time and effort, with results plentiful and accurate, and avoiding many detours.
- Step 2: Use search skillsSearch engines have practical tricks that make searching more efficient. For example, put quotes around a phrase such as air pollution to focus the results; add a year such as 2026 for the latest data; limit the search to government pages. Once familiar with these skills, we can quickly filter out unrelated results and find exactly what we need — homework becomes twice as effective with half the effort.
- Step 3: Judge a site's reliabilityTrue and false information mix online, so we must judge a site's reliability before using it. For example, for a health question, trust the Department of Health page with professional review before an anonymous forum. Checking the site's author, organisation and update date tells us whether the material can be trusted, keeping wrong information from misleading us; however moving a page of unknown origin may read, be careful.
- Step 4: Check across sourcesImportant facts should be confirmed across several sources and used only when they agree. For example, for a shark's lifespan, compare an encyclopaedia, an aquarium site and a documentary, and write it into the report only when all three agree. A single source may hold mistakes, so checking across sources greatly cuts the chance of error and makes the report more credible — the basic way scientists verify facts, a step that must never be skipped.
- Step 5: Cite correctlyWhen putting other people's material into a report, we must cite it correctly and respect the original creator. For example, write according to the EPD website (2026) in your report, in your own words, never copying whole passages; name the source of pictures as well. Citing makes the report more convincing and avoids plagiarism — the basic attitude of honest learning, to be formed from a young age.
- Step 6: Set and use strong passwordsA password is like the key to our home: it must be strong and kept carefully. For example, a mix like Sunny2026!hk of capitals, small letters, numbers and symbols; different passwords for different accounts, told to no one — not even good friends. A leaked password lets strangers misuse our photos and details, so learning password management is the first lesson of online safety, and deserves to be taken seriously.
- Step 7: Be a responsible net userUse the internet in moderation and with good manners, being a responsible net user. For example, keep screen time to about an hour a day and finish homework first; report strange links and messages to parents or teachers instead of clicking. Be polite in online comments too and never write words that hurt others; argue about matters, never about persons, and tell an adult at once if cyberbullying appears — then the online world stays a safe and happy place.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: Wai is doing a report on Hong Kong's endangered species. She finds three sources: an EPD webpage, an anonymous blog and a magazine article from ten years ago. Help her judge and choose, with reasons.
- The EPD webpage: official, professionally reviewed and up to date — most reliable, to be used first.
- The anonymous blog: unknown source and unverifiable author — not usable as a basis.
- The ten-year-old article: a fair source but outdated; species status may have changed — background reading only.
- Advice: rely on official pages, cross-check with library books and famous institutions' sites, and cite every source.
- Answer: Use the official page as the main source, keep the old article as background, drop the anonymous blog, and cite sources — then the report is credible, which is exactly what information literacy means.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1How should keywords be chosen for accurate searches?
Q2What should we check to judge a site's reliability?
Q3How should online material be used in a report?
Q4What makes a password strong?
Q5Why must we not freely download online pictures?
8Recap Recap
- Search with precise keywords, using quotes, years and site filters.
- Judge information by source, date and content, cross-checking reliable sites.
- Quote in your own words and cite the source — respect copyright, refuse plagiarism.
- Strong passwords mix cases, numbers and symbols, unique to each account.
- Never share personal data with online acquaintances, and keep screen time in check — safe and self-disciplined.