TIPS FOR DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET
***Remember: For some topics books give you better
coverage and illustrations. Many libraries have databases
with specific and up-to-date information on topics.
1. Should I start my research on the Internet instead of in
a book?
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.
E is for Evaluation!!!
Great! You found a website that matches your topic.
How do you figure out if it is useful?
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2. Before you sit down at the computer:
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 you need more information, use an online search tool.
Searchopolis, Kids Click!, Ask Jeeves for Kids, and
Yahooligans are great search tools for kids! If you are on
the library’s Children’s Home Page, click on Search the
Web. The next page will have links to search tools. Just
click on your choice.
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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.
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.
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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.
Name______________________________Date_____________________Period__________
Proposal: Poe Analysis Essay Topic:
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________________________________________________________________
Or
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Essay Question:____________________________________________________
I have found evidence for my topic in:
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________.
Some internet sources I have found helpful and may use in my essay are:
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_____________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________
The main points and my EVIDENCE (3 body paragraphs) are:
1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
My QUOTES from the short story or poem to support my evidence are:
1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________