Internet Research
To Begin: On a computer, open an Internet Browser (either Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer).
A. Using a Search Engine (Search by Keywords)
A search engine searches for web pages on the Internet, using typed in keywords.
- Enter the URL for the search engine of your choice in the Address/Location field of your browser. Suggested search engines:
- Once the search engine page loads, type in topic keywords and click the "Search" button.
- The search engine will present a list of web pages that contain the keywords used.
- It is important to sift through the list, and evaluate the sites for authority and accuracy, before using the sites in an assignment.
Advantages to Internet searching:
- Hundreds of sites that are related to a topic will be retrieved.
Disadvantages to Internet searching:
- The sites in a retrieved list may not be in any logical order.
- Sites are not reviewed for authority, accuracy, or objectivity.
- A list may include irrelevant sites.
B. Using a Search Engine Directory
Most popular search engines have a subject directory that lists web sites by major subjects or topics. A famous example is Yahoo. To find a list of sites related to a topic:
- Choose the main subject heading that might include your research topic.
- Click on that heading to get a list of more specific topics that fall under that category.
- Continue to click on more specific headings until you see a list of web sites.
- Explore the web sites to see if they provide the information you need.
Other great directories include the following:
- The Librarian's Index to the Internet - http://lii.org
- The Internet Public Library - http://www.ipl.org
- Infomine: Scholarly Resources - http://infomine.ucr.edu
Hint: this site includes a nice "Online Literary Criticism Collection" page, located under the heading "Special Collections".
Advantages:
- Sites have gone through some process of review before inclusion in the directory.
- There may be fewer irrelevant sites.
Disadvantages:
- A topic may not be listed in the directory.
- The list of sites for your topic may not be comprehensive.
- Sites may be too general.
C. "Surfing" the Web
Once you find one interesting site, follow some of the links from that site and see if they lead to other related sites. This is the beauty of the web - the ability to link to related sites out in "hyperspace".
Advantages:
- Through association, you will find other sites on the same topic.
- One site may have links to numerous other sites.
Disadvantages:
- You may become disoriented or "lost in hyperspace".
- Your comprehension of what you read may suffer if you "surf" too much.
Helpful hint: Remember that you can usually return to your starting point by clicking the "Back" button at the top of your browser screen as many times as it takes.
For more information on how to search the Internet try the
Library's
Research Skills Tutorial or contact
the DCCC Reference Librarians.
Last Updated 13 December 2006