Name: Paula Ganyard
Title: Library Instruction & Web Resources Librarian
Institution: University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Street Address: Cofrin Library, 2420 Nicolet Drive
City/State/Zip: Green Bay, WI 54311
Phone: 920-465-2666
Email: ganyardp@uwgb.edu
Fax: 920-465-2388
Title of practice or implementation method: Relating Boolean Operators to the student's experiences
Primary audience: Novice searchers
Describe the practice:
In order to relate Boolean operators to the student's experience when explaining what they are we use the concept of ordering a pizza.
Start off asking students to give you some items that they would like on their pizza (the "musts"). On the board write these down inserting AND between each word, explain to the students that by using AND we are telling the waiter that these items must be on the pizza and don't bother bringing it to us if it doesn't.
Next you tell the students that the waiter informs us that they might be out of the one of the items we choose is there a substitute that we would satisfied with. For example, if they are out of pepperoni, will we except sausage. Once the students have given you a substitute then we OR that with the first item.
Finally, ask the students to give you an item that they absolutely don't want on their pizza. With this item you will use NOT to make sure that it doesn't show up on the pizza.
A final pizza order (or search) might look like this: (cheese and onions and (pepperoni or sausage)) not anchovies
By teaching Booleans this way you have made it an active learning experience for the students and one that relates to their lives.
Competencies addressed through this practice:
3. Formulate and efficiently execute search queries appropriate for the
information resource.
Supporting materials/resources used and their format: none
Special requirements to use these resources: no
References consulted: none
[Back to Best Practice Examples] [Info Lit Committee Home]
URL: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/waal/infolit/ganyard.htm
Revised:
December 17, 2002
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