1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
You already know how to move around the browser and spot a secure connection. Today you learn how to find the right information for your project, not just open a tab and hope. You will use traditional search operators and an AI search tool side by side, then prove every AI claim by opening a real source.
Something Real means your class project idea (event, product, service, work placement, or similar). Today's Search Log is process evidence for ICT1 Key Assignment 2 (KA2) and can feed later researched writing.
No project topic yet? Use the bake-sale / local market worked example for every search today. That still counts as solid process evidence for your log and for KA2; you can swap in your own topic next time.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Use traditional keyword search with quotes, minus and site filters
- Prompt AI search tools clearly and request sources
- Verify AI answers by opening at least one cited source and cross-checking a claim
- Run three project searches (at least one traditional and one AI) and log them in {{code:02_search_log}}
Warm-up
Think about the last time you looked something up for school or for a hobby. Did you get a list of blue links, or did an AI write you a full answer? Which one did you trust more, and why?
The minus sign and {{code:site:}} filter look picky at first (no space after the minus; you need the colon). That fussiness is the skill. You will only need a few operators for almost all school research.
2 - Key Concepts ~5 mins
Two kinds of search are normal now. Traditional search returns a list of links. AI search returns a written answer with sources. Both are useful. Neither is trustworthy until you check.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional keyword search — a search engine that returns a ranked list of web pages | You stay in control of which page you open, and operators cut noise fast | Searching {{code:work experience rights Ireland}} and opening a Citizens Information page rather than a random forum |
| AI search — a tool that writes an answer and often lists sources underneath | A clear prompt can save time on a first overview, but AI can sound sure while still being wrong | Asking for Irish food-hygiene points for a market stall and demanding openable source links |
| Verification — opening at least one cited source and checking one concrete claim yourself | Hard rule: an AI answer is only a draft until a real page backs it up | AI mentions FSAI registration; you open the FSAI page and confirm what applies to your idea |
Operator quick card
Keep this on screen while you search. You do not need to memorise it cold today. Must-do operators in class: quotes, minus, and {{code:site:}}. {{code:filetype:pdf}} is optional extension only.
| Operator | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| {{code:"exact phrase"}} | Keeps those words together in that order | {{code:"food hygiene" cakes market Ireland}} |
| {{code:-word}} | Drops pages that use a word you do not want (no space after the minus) | {{code:-recipe -Pinterest}} |
| {{code:site:domain}} | Limits results to one website | {{code:site:fsai.ie}} or {{code:site:gov.ie}} |
| {{code:filetype:pdf}} (extension) | Shows PDF leaflets and forms only | {{code:food hygiene small business filetype:pdf}} |
Your Search Log later uses five columns: #, Query, Tool, Best result (URL + why), Verification note (AI only). You will build the table after the searches — glance shape only for now.
Hard rule: never trust an AI answer without opening at least one cited source. If the tool gives no sources, treat the answer as a starting guess only and run a traditional search to back it up.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~15 mins
Work through one project question two ways: first with traditional search operators, then with the AI tool your teacher named. Finish by verifying one AI claim against a real web page and jotting short bullets you will type into your Search Log.
Worked example question: "What Irish guidance applies if I sell homemade cakes at a local market?"
Use this question if your own Something Real topic is not ready yet.
4 - Common Issues ~3 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| My {{code:site:}} or {{code:filetype:}} search returns nothing useful | Check the spelling and the colon with no space (write {{code:site:fsai.ie}}, not {{code:site: fsai.ie}}). Broaden the keywords before the operator, then narrow again. {{code:filetype:}} is extension only today — if you are stuck, stick with quotes, minus and {{code:site:}}. |
| The minus operator seems to do nothing | Put the minus tight against the word ({{code:-recipe}}). A space after the minus breaks the operator. Try excluding one word at a time. |
| The AI tool is blocked or will not sign in on the school network | Switch to the fallback your teacher named on the board. The verification step stays the same. |
| The AI answer has no sources or the links are broken | Do not use the answer as evidence. Ask the tool again to "list openable source URLs", or drop back to traditional search and find a {{code:site:fsai.ie}}, {{code:site:gov.ie}}, or Citizens Information page yourself. |
| I am not sure what to write in the verification note | Use one sentence: what page you opened, which claim you checked, and whether it matched, partly matched, or did not appear. Partly matched is honest and useful. |
5 - Build Your Search Log ~10 mins
Turn your paper notes into portfolio evidence. Create {{code:02_search_log}} in the right folder, insert the five-column table, and enter the two searches you just ran (traditional + verified AI) as rows 1 and 2.
Teacher check (about 60 seconds): show {{code:02_research}} on your screen. If that folder is missing, create it in your Project Portfolio first, then create the document inside it. Your teacher will also say whether the class is all on Word Online or all on Google Docs today.
Sample Search Log layout
Match this shape (use your own project topic when you can):
| # | Query | Tool | Best result (URL + why) | Verification note (AI only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | {{code:food hygiene market site:fsai.ie}} | Google (traditional) | FSAI guidance page — clear Irish rules for small food businesses | n/a |
| 2 | Clear prompt asking for Irish sources on selling homemade food at markets | School AI tool | Answer summarised registration and labelling points | Opened the cited FSAI link; the labelling point matched the page |
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