Research on the Web

Sources, Sources, Sources!

When looking for research sources, you should be sure to consider all sources, not just the internet. While the internet is a very
convenient and useful research aid, there are many other sources that provide excellent information you may not find online.
Libraries are becoming much overlooked in today's increasingly wired society. However, libraries hold a wealth of information
just waiting to be found. Many public libraries have good general collections; if you live close to a college, look into their usage
policies. You may be able to use their resources with your general state library card.
The following resources are available at most libraries and may be of great use to you:

	Reference Books such as encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs, volumes of literary criticism
	Microfilm/microfiche - archived articles from newspapers and magazines
	Non-fiction books on a great range of subjects
	Primary sources
	Online access to full text articles from scholarly publications, available for printing
	Periodicals, magazines, newspapers
	Volumes of court cases and decisions
	Databases categorized by subject or field of study
	Interlibrary loan - libraries can request books that they do not have from other libraries for you to use

Students may also choose to use the internet to access information on a topic. You may find general information, ideas as to
where to look for more information, and some full text articles. There are some great sources of information on the internet,
but there is also a lot of bad or untrue information. Be careful when using the internet - it can be a wonderful tool when used
correctly. Search engines such as Google or Yahoo are popular ways of locating information on the web.

No matter what the source you use, GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. Always cite your sources properly!

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What's on the Web

The web is useful in many circumstances, but it is most effective when used to:

	Locate facts and data
	Find current information such as weather forecasts, stock reports, news, sports scores, or TV schedules
	Use multiple services such as travel reservations, shopping, and employment listings
	Locate information on obscure or cutting edge topics

You may be able to access newspaper, magazine, and journal articles for a limited time after they are published. Web information
is most creditable when made available by the government, educational institutions, respected and renowned organizations
and agencies, and accredited individuals (i.e. educators, legal professionals, medical professionals). This list is not exhaustive
and may certainly not hold true for all aforementioned sites. Use your informed judgment to make decisions about web page
content that you come across.

Santa Monica College has created an excellent page about academic research on the web. Here you will find many useful
links from search strategies to tutorials. Also provides help in writing research papers and citation guides.
http://library.smc.edu/research/webresearch.html

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What's not on the Web (or may be available for a fee)

	High quality reference books
	Non-fiction (analytical biographies, literary criticisms, richly illustrated books)
	Any book that is still under copyright (author is alive or has been dead less than 75 years)
	Full text journal, magazine, or newspaper articles
	Magazine articles written before 1990
	Material removed as per Tasini vs. the New York Times The Supreme Court ruled that freelance writers must be compensated when their material is published on the web; therefore, many writers and publishers removed this type of material from the web, leaving huge gaps.

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My Research Experience

I have used the internet for a great deal of research. It has been especially useful in locating documents and reports produced
by such organizations as the European Union (http://europa.eu.int/documents/index_en.htm) and the United Nations
(http://www.un.org/documents/). Google (http://www.google. com) and Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com) have aided me greatly
in searching for information and locating alternative sources for use. Locating articles on the web couldn't be easier when you
use Find Articles (http://www.findarticles.com). Occasionally, I use online dictionaries such as Spanish Dictionary
(http://www.spanishdict.com) or Miriam Webster English Dictionary (http://www.m-w.com) and online encyclopedias like
Encyclopedia Britannica (http://www.britannica.com).

In everyday research, I highly recommend the Weather Channel (http://www.weather.com) for finding local weather
forecasts. For reading top news stories, check out CNN (http://www.cnn.com) or the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com).

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Recommended Online Sources

Search Engine:
Google - http://www.google.com
Excellent, popular search engine for keywords, images, newsgroups, blogs, message boards, etc.

Statistics:
National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov
Great resource for all types of statistics related to education; searchable indices.

U.S. Department of Labor Statistics - http://www.bls.gov
Most current information on all sorts of labor statistics, straight from the U.S. Government

Homework Help:
   BJ Pinchbeck's Foreign Language Homework Helper powered by the Discovery Channel
   http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/bjpinchbeck/bjforeign.html
   Provides general language help sites and also specific language sites

Homework Helper for Spanish Students - http://www.carr.org/ccps/students/help/spanish.htm
Directory of categories by level of difficulty (culture, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, writing, etc.)

Encyclopedia:
Encyclopedia Britannica - http://www.britannica.com
Reputable, popular encyclopedia online; for a fee, you can get more information.

MSN Encarta - http://encarta.msn.com
Online encyclopedia, atlas, thesaurus, etc., with always changing homepage of interesting facts.

Dictionary:
Spanish Dictionary - http://www.spanishdict.com
Good online dictionary for instant Spanish to English/English to Spanish translation.

English Dictionary - http://www.dictionary.com
Excellent resource to look up definitions, synonyms, & antonyms; links to translation services and grammar help.

Academic Research:
   Santa Monica College - http://library.smc.edu/research/webresearch.html
   This comprehensive sites provides excellent links to information on how to conduct research and finding sources.
   Highly recommended as your ultimate resource for academic research on the web!

Author's Choice:
International College Spanish Research Resources - http://www.internationalcollege.edu/irc/humspanish.htm
Selected list of internet sites categorized by culture, resources, and education.