Searching for and evaluating Internet resources

While not perfect, the openly available Internet can be a valuable supplement to the library's databases, and in some cases work far better than anything the library offers.

Knowing what you want is the first step to a successful Internet search. There are basically seven types of Internet search:

1. You want books or periodical articles on an academic subject.
2. You want information on a very specific topic or even just a specific web page, person, or corporation. (A known item search)
3. You want information on a broader topic that may or may not be academic in nature. (A subject search)
4. You want a small snip of information such as an address, phone number, driving directions etc... (Directory information)
5. You want very new time sensitive information such as a news headlines, a weather forecast, or sports scores.
6. You want free information, i.e. writing that is old enough to be in the public domain, or a government document.
7. You want sound or images.

Once you find a web page that looks interesting, you need to evaluate the web page.

When using web pages for writing research papers (a habit not generally recommended), be sure to cite them correctly.

EHK -- January 2005