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Library Catalog
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Electronic Research and Internet Searching Guidelines In preparing this brief overview, several library resources were consulted. You may refer to them as needed: Eisenberg, Michael B. and Robert E. Berkowitz. Teaching Information and Technology Skills: The Big 6 in Secondary Schools. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing Inc., 2000. Prof ZA3075 .E425 2000 Harris, Robert. A Guidebook to the Web. Guilford, CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 2000. Prof TK5105.888 .H37 2000 Kuhlthau, Carol Collier. Teaching the Library Research Process. 2nd edition. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 1994. Prof Z711.2 .K83 1994 Schrock, Kathleen. Evaluating Internet Web Sites: An Educator’s Guide. Manhattan, KS: The Master Teacher, Inc., 1997. Prof Z711.2 .S37 1997 Sherman, Chris and Gary Price. The Invisible Web: Uncovering Information Sources Search Engines Can’t See. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc., 2001. Prof ZA4450 .S54 2001 Before Beginning The following suggestions apply to the research process in general and not just to researching on the Internet. A good experience in research is the product of a planned, organized, and systematic approach to the entire process.  Think about the topic. Develop a focus.What is it you need to know? Who is the intended audience? What type of report is demanded? Develop a list of keywords. Find synonyms in a thesaurus. Look for related subject terms in the library catalog and indexes. Follow the steps of the research process as recommended in such guides as University of California/Berkeley, Duke University Libraries, or Cornell University Libraries.Using the Internet The Internet as a research tool is one part of the process of information gathering necessary for successful investigation of a topic. In exploring Internet resources, remember that it is best to first look in the subscription services available to you at the C. B. Newton Library. Subscription databases, a large part of the so-called “invisible web,” are an excellent example of the kind of Internet resource that cannot be tapped into through keyword searches in conventional search engines like Google, or Yahoo. As a student in this learning community, your initial search strategies should include a thorough search of the appropriate databases available to you through the library web page. Here you will find the content and authority to support your project. Remember that evaluation of the Internet resource is a critical part of the research process. Subscription Databases A large part of the so-called "invisible web," are an excellent example of the kind of Internet resource that cannot be tapped into keyword searches in conventional search engines like Google, Yahoo... As a student in this learning community, your initial search strategies should include a thorough search of the appropriate databases available to you through the library web page. Here you will find the content and authority to support your project. Remember that evaluation of the Internet resource is a critical part of the research project. Search Engines No one search engine has indexed the entire web. Each search engine uses a program, referred to as a “spider,” that visits web pages searching for terms. The more frequently it indexes a term on one page, the more likely that that term is relevant to a search query. The program cannot make judgments about subjects, it is only designed to recognize the patterns established in its program. That is why when you formulate a search query and initiate your request, you retrieve so many results—many of which have little relevance to your information need. The capabilities of conventional search engines have been greatly expanded with meta-search engines—services that perform simultaneous searching of multiple search engines on your topic. Refer to NoodleTools, Choose the Best Search for your Information Need, for more detailed analysis of the differences in search engines. Recommended Search Engines and Meta-Search Engines All The Web Ask.com Kartoo Vivisimo Directories Unlike search engines, directories are composed by people who evaluate the content of web sites and organize them into broad subject categories. When you have a broad subject in mind, a directory will be the best choice when going to the Internet as an information source Yahoo is an example of a directory type searching vehicle. The Librarian’s Index to the Internet is strongly recommended for these kinds of searches, as its recommendations have been fully evaluated for reliability, content and authority; and in addition, the entire site is searchable by keyword as well. Recommended Directories Librarian’s Index to the Internet Internet Public Library Virtual Reference Desk (NJ State Library) Resource Discovery Network Yahoo Advanced Searching You can achieve better results in searching online databases and the Internet by making use of the advanced searching menus available to you. Check out these sites for tutorials on these methods: Electronic Searching: Duke Libraries, Guide to Library Research Boolean Searching on the Internet: University at Albany Libraries Boolean Searching by Danny Sullivan/Search Engine Watch Citing Internet Resources Consult the Pingry Manual of Style for acceptable citation formats. Additionally,Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th edition, (REF LB 2369 .T8 1996), and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th edition, are available for clarification (REF LB 2369 .G53 1999). Visit the Modern Language Association and Noodle Tools Quick Cite. Plagiarism A few guidelines in this regard: Plagiarism: What It Is and How to Recognize and Avoid It (University of Indiana) What is Plagiarism? (Georgetown University) Avoiding Plagiarism (Purdue University OWL-Online Writing Lab) |
