theguide11e

Find Web sites and interactive sources.

By now, you are likely quite familiar with searching the Web. This section introduces you to some tools and strategies to use it more efficiently. But first, a few cautions:

Your research project will be only as credible as the sources you use. Because search engines index Web sources without evaluating them, not all the results a search engine like Google generates will be reliable and relevant to your purposes.
Web sources may not be stable. A Web site that existed last week may no longer be available today, or its content may have changed. Be sure to record the information you need to cite a source when you first find it.
Web sources must be documented. No matter what your source—a library book, a scholarly article, or a Web site or Web page—you will need to cite and document your source in your list of works cited or references. If you are publishing your report online, check also to determine whether you will need permission to reproduce an image or any other elements.

Google Scholar and Google Book Search

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Although you may use search engines like Google with great rapidity and out of habit, as a college researcher you are likely to find it worthwhile to familiarize yourself with other parts of the Google search site. Of particular interest to the academic writer are Google Scholar and Google Book Search. Google Scholar retrieves articles from a number of scholarly databases and a wide range of general-interest and scholarly books. Google Book Search searches both popular and scholarly books. Both Google Scholar and Google Book Search offer overviews and, in some cases, the full text of a source.

Note: Whatever search engine you use, always click on the link called Help, Hints, or Tips on the search tool’s home page to find out more about the commands and advanced-search techniques it offers. Most search engines allow searches using the techniques discussed in the sections “Use appropriate search terms” and “Broaden or narrow your results.” Many also provide advanced searching options that allow you to limit results to those created between specific dates, in specific languages, and so on.

For guidelines on how to cite Web sources, see Chapter 24, “Citing and Documenting Sources in MLA Style,” or Chapter 25, “Citing and Documenting Sources in APA Style”; for more on evaluating sources, especially Web sources, see Chapter 22.

Other Useful Search Options

No matter how precisely you search the Web with a standard search engine, you may not hit on the best available resources. Starting your search from a subject guide, such as those provided by the Internet Public Library (ipl.org/div/special) or the librarians at your school can direct you to relevant and reliable sources of online information.

Interactive Sources

Interactive sources, including blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, social networking sites (like Facebook and Twitter), and discussion lists, can also be useful sources of information, especially if your research project focuses on a current event or late-breaking news.

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Blogs are Web sites that are updated regularly, often many times a day. They are usually organized chronologically, with the newest posts at the top, and may contain links or news stories, but generally focus on the opinions of the blog host and visitors. Blogs by experts in the field are likely to be more informative than blogs by amateurs or fans.
Wikis—of which Wikipedia is the best known example—offer content contributed and modified collaboratively by a community of users. Wikis can be very useful for gleaning background information, but because (in most cases) anyone can write or revise wiki entries, many instructors will not accept them as reliable sources for college-level research projects. Use wikis cautiously.
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds aggregate frequently updated sites, such as news sites and blogs, into links in a single Web page or e-mail. Most search engines provide this service, as do sites such as NewzCrawler (newzcrawler.com) and FeedDemon (feeddemon.com). RSS feeds can be useful if you are researching news stories or political campaigns.
Social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, allow users to create groups or pages on topics of interest or to follow the thoughts and activities of newsmakers.
Discussion lists are electronic mailing lists that allow members to post comments and get feedback from others interested in the same topic. The most reliable discussion lists are moderated and attract experts on the topic. Many online communities provide some kind of indexing or search mechanism so that you can look for “threads” (conversations) related to your topic.

Although you need to evaluate the information you find in all sources carefully, you must be especially careful with information from social networking sites and discussion lists. However, such sources can provide up-to-the-minute information. Also be aware that whereas most online communities welcome guests and newcomers, others may perceive your questions as intrusive or naive. It may be useful to “lurk” (that is, just to read posts) before making a contribution.