The Internet can be a rich source of information, if you know how to use it properly. The key to using the Internet as a research tool is planning. You need to plan in advance what information you need from the Internet. Some of the key questions to ask yourself are:

• What is my research question or topic?
• What kind of information do I need?
• What tools will I to use to find information?
• How will I evaluate the sites I find on the Internet?
• How much time will I devote to research?
• Once my research is completed, how will I reference it?

The rest of this document is designed to help you answer these questions.

Refine your topic.

First, write down what it is exactly that you want to research. If your research topic is too broad, then you will have difficulty doing any meaningful research. For example, you could spend countless hours doing research if your topic is “World War II.” However, if your topic is “The Attack on Pearl Harbor ” then you will be able to conduct meaningful research that will lead to a quality product, such as a research paper.

Plan your resources.

Are scholarly journals the only acceptable resource? Are first hand accounts acceptable? Different topics require different resources. Research on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor may include scholarly journals and first-hand accounts. Only scholarly journals may be appropriate for research on a developmental disability. Deciding ahead of time what resources are acceptable saves time and makes your research time more fruitful.

Investigate all your resources.

You may have access to many web-based resources besides just publicly accessible websites. Your institution might provide you access to databases not open to the general public which can be full of information. Check with your institution’s library. Also, a local university or state library may provide access to nonpublic databases. Your institution or public librarian can be very helpful, so do not hesitate to contact them.

Learn about the best search engines

Search engines are used to find websites that may contain useful information. While not a comprehensive list, here are some of the best search engines on the web (click on the search engine name to go to the main website):

• Google®. Certainly the most popular search engine, Google seems to be the leader in the search engine market. Google is continually providing search engines to help Internet users refine their searches. In addition to the main Google search engine, here are some important search engines provided by Google:

• Google Scholar. Searches specifically for academic research papers online.
• Google Images. Locates images found in web pages.
• Google Suggest. Makes suggestions for search terms
• Yahoo!®. Yahoo was one of the first search engines and is still very popular.
• Alta Vista®. Alta Vista was the first Internet search engine to launch Image, Audio, and Video search capabilities.
• Dogpile.® Dogpile is a meta search engine, meaning it uses many search engines at once to provide the results of your search.

Tips for Using Search Engines

Your searching will be more successful if you follow some general guidelines. While some search engines have unique guidelines, many of them recommend:

• Omit common words, such as “of,” “the” and “to”
• Use the obvious first, such as “Corvette” rather than “car”
• Capitalization. Most engines will ignore the case of search terms

Also, most search engines have an “advanced” search option. This option will allow you to refine your search and increase the possibility that your returned web sites contain the desired information.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

There is a great deal of information on the Internet, and like any other medium of communication, some information is better than others. It is extremely important that you view all material with a critical eye. When viewing Internet materials consider:

• Reliability
• Balance
• Currency

Reliability

Books, government documents, and articles are often reviewed by peer editors before publication. Web pages can be written by anyone without any review, so the chances of running across bad information on the Internet can be much higher. When examining a web page, ask yourself:

• Is the author identifiable?
• Who is the author? Does he/she have the credentials or experience to write such material?
• Who is hosting the website? Is it a governmental (.gov) or educational institution (.edu)?
• Is the web host credible? For example, major organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, are more trustworthy than personal web pages.
• Is there a tilde (~) in the web address? A tilde (the upper symbol on the accent mark key on your keyboard) often means that the web pages are in a personal website.
• Does the information seem credible when compared to other research found on reputable sites?

Balance

The Internet provides people from all walks of life the ability to publish their material instantly. Credible research will provide a balanced approach to a subject, explaining all sides of an issue or argument. This is important if you are to understand all aspects of your research topic. Ask yourself:

• Is the content of a website disparaging of another perspective or school of thought in the field?
• When compared to your other research, does the information seem to leave out information others found important to include?
• If one perspective is favored, does the author state that upfront? If so, does he/she offer supporting information sources (statistics, examples, etc.)?

Currency

If up-to-date information is crucial to your topic, review the dates listed on web pages to determine their currency. Dates may refer to when the information was gathered, published, or revised. Ask yourself:

• Is there a date on the page?
• Does the text reference recent information or data?

First Check with Instructor

There are many formatting styles for academic papers. Some of the most popular are APA, MLA and Chicago. Always make sure you ask your instructor which style he/she prefers.

Once you know which style your instructor or institution prefers, then you are ready learn how to reference Internet materials in your paper. Formatting styles often change, so below are links to web pages covering the popular styles.

• American Psychological Association (APA) and Modern Language Association (MLA)
• Chicago Manual of Style

Conclusion

Hopefully, this document has helped you get ready for conducting Internet research. Please remember that your institution’s librarian is an extremely valuable resource. Do not hesitate to contact your librarian for assistance. Good luck!