TIPS FOR DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET

Answer: If you don’t know anything about your topic, it is a good idea to look at an encyclopedia or some other book that gives you an overview.

A is for Analyze your topic!

Write down a word or phrase that describes your topic. Don’t use abbreviations. Jot down a broader and narrower word that includes your topic. For Example: Your topic is Columbus. A broader term is explorers. A narrower term is Christopher Columbus.

F is for Figuring out where to search first???

If you only need a little information or an overview look it up in a print or online encyclopedia. **Remember: Most encyclopedias don’t contain much information on pop culture, commercial products or current events.**

• If the search tool has a list of categories, think of the broadest word to describe your topic. For Example: Your topic is the Normandy Invasion. Try looking under U.S. History or World War II.
• If the search tool doesn’t have a list of categories, type your topic into the search box.
• No matches for your topic?? Check your spelling; leave out punctuation, like dashes and apostrophes. Type in a broader or narrower word in the search box.
• Still no matches??? Try another search tool or the adult search tools.
• Ready to give up??? Time to ask an adult like your parent, librarian, or teacher.
• ***Remember: For some topics books give you better coverage and illustrations. Many libraries have databases with specific and up-to-date information on topics.

E is for Evaluation!!!

Great! You found a website that matches your topic. How do you figure out if it is useful?

• Is the website written by someone who knows about the topic? Look at the URL (web address) before you click on it. You can tell where the website comes from by looking at the domain code. For example, sites ending in .com are commercial sites, .edu is an educational site, .gov is a government site, .mil is a military site. Some sites originate outside the U.S. For instance, .fr would be a French site; .uk would be a British site. Sites sponsored by a state use the state abbreviation followed by us. For example, .ca.us (California), .ma.us (Massachusetts).
• **Remember: Anyone can put up a website. The information may not be correct, especially if they want to sell you something.
• Try to find out who wrote the page. Look for a name or email links. Is this person an expert in the field?
• Do the links on the page work? Do they link to real and useful sites?
• It is important for some topics that the information be up-to-date. For Example: If your topic is “space exploration”, a website from 1990 is not current enough. Facts and statistics without dates are useless.
• What is the purpose of the website? To inform, give facts, sell something? Watch out if the website is trying to convince you of something! A good website gives you all points of view. Is the website trying to be funny? Would you feel foolish to cite this website seriously?
• Once you have decided to use the website, remember to list it correctly in your paper!
  • Give the type of electronic source (website, database, etc.)
  • Give the URL or other source
  • Give the date you found the information.