Using the Internet for Research
by Donald J. Leu Jr.

A Student Research Guide to the Internet

1. What question are you trying to answer in your research?

• Write down and record your question as clearly as you can. Come back regularly to revise it as you learn more about the facts and issues.
• Why is this question important? Spend time exploring important questions; don't waste time on unimportant questions.

2. Have you narrowed your research to a specific topic?

• Be specific. Instead of selecting a subject that is too broad, such as endangered animals, use a narrower topic (endangered Giant Pandas) that is closer to what you want.
• Plan ahead. Think about what keywords you can use to drive your search. Write them down.

3. What do you already know about this subject?

• Brainstorm a list of what you know already about this topic. It will help to guide your search.

4. What Internet resources will you use in your research?

• Try beginning with Ask Jeeves for Kids or Yahooligans, sites that are screened for students.
• If you are new to Internet searches, visit the Nueva Library Help to see which search engine might be best for your specific needs.
• Be sure to use more than one search engine. Each search engine works differently and covers only a small fraction of the Internet.

5. What other strategies will help you get better results?

• Check your spelling before you submit your search word(s). A simple spelling error can lead to the wrong results.
• Try similar words or synonyms. If your first choice of keywords fails to yield the information you need, then try using synonyms or phrases.

6. Who or what are your sources? How do you know the information you have found on the Internet is accurate?

• Before using any information, always ask yourself: Who created this information, and why? Might the source of this information have any biases or prejudices that affect it?
• If you use an Internet site, you can usually find information about who created the site, and why, on the home page at an "About" link.

7. Do you know how to cite each of your Internet sources in your research report?

• To see how to cite each of your sources in your written report, visit the Nueva Library Goal page, which has interactive forms for citing many different kinds of sources. Here is one example of a citation for a web page:

EXAMPLE
Abilock, Debbie. "Research Advice for a Complex Topic." Nueva Library Help. 9 Sept. 1997. Nueva School. 31 Dec. 1997.

• You can also use the following general style guide and example for citing Internet resources from the U.S. Library of Congress:

CITATION STYLE
Author's last name, Author's first name. "Title of Document." Title of complete work (if applicable). Version or file number, if applicable. Document date or date of last revision (if different from access date). Protocol and address, access path or directories (date of access).

EXAMPLE
The U.S. Library of Congress. "Learning Page of the Library of Congress: Citing Electronic Sources." May 8, 1997. Available http://www.ipl.org/ref/QUE/FARQ/netciteFARQ.html (May 1, 2000).

8. How can you organize the information you have found?

• Have you considered using a graphic organizer such as a timeline, a Venn diagram or a Concept Map?
• Have you thought of taking notes in a research journal, on note cards or in lists?
• Choose the organizer that works best for you and the information you have found.

9. What does your information tell you?

• How do the pieces of this information fit together? Do any pieces not fit at all?
• How does this information support your research topic?
• Which side or point of view does this information support?
• Do you need to do more research?
• Do you have at least two reliable sources to back up each important piece of information? Did you note the citation facts with each source?

10. How would you evaluate your work on this research project?

• Have you done your very best on this research project? What would you like to improve?
• What did you learn about doing research on the Internet that will help on your next research project?
• What questions do you still have about doing research on the Internet?

11. Be sure to check out other resources.

• What library resources can you use? Can you use books, magazines, or videos, for example?
• Do you know someone who is an expert on this subject? What might you discuss with this person?
• Have you tried one of these "Ask an Expert" sites?
  • Ask an Expert (http://www.askanexpert.com) – This is a general site with links to a wide range of experts.
  • Ask a Mad Scientist (http://www.madsci.org) – This wonderful resource will put you in touch with a wide range of scientists around the world.
  • Ask a Science Expert (http://www.sciam.com/askexpert) – Obtain answers from experts in many scientific fields from the experts at the journal Scientific American.