1. Internet Research Tips

2. Internet Research Strategies o Identify Keywords French Revolution o When you link search terms with these tags: AND – Commands the search engine to retrieve web pages containing ALL the keywords French and revolution OR – Commands the search engine to retrieve web pages containing ANY or ALL the keywords French or revolution

3. AND NOT – Commands the search engine to retrieve web pages containing one keyword but not the other French and not revolution Phrase Searching – Put quotation marks around a group of words so that the search engine will only retrieve web documents in which those words appear side-by- side. “French Revolution” “Artesian springs and wells”

4. Primary Source - Provide firsthand accounts of the events you are researching. i.e. diaries, letters, reports, photographs, autobiographies, memoirs Secondary Source - Created later by someone who did not experience firsthand or participate in the events you are researching. i.e. textbooks, articles, encyclopedias

5. Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages: Accuracy Authority Objectivity Currency Coverage

6. Accuracy o Is it someone’s personal page? *Identify the domain name - Domain name is a component of a website’s URL i.e. www.shcp. edu Commercial.com Education.edu Government.gov Military.mil Nonprofit organization.org Country code.us,.uk,.ca,.cn, etc.

7. Authority o Who is the author? o Is the author credible? o What are the author’s credentials on the subject? o If the author’s name is not provided on the website, look for an agency claiming responsibility.

8. Objectivity o Does the website indicate a bias? o What goals/objectives does the author or agency hope to meet? o Why was the website created and who are the target audience? o How in-depth is the information?

9. Currency o Is the website dated? o Are the links current or updated regularly? o Does the website have any dead links? o Is the information up-to-date on a time-sensitive or evolving topic? ie. science, health and medicine, statistical information * Undated factual information/statistical information  USELESS

10. Coverage o Are the links evaluated? o Is a special software required for viewing the website? o Is the information free or not? o Is there an option for text only, or frames, or a suggested browser for better viewing? o Does the website consist of all images? Or a balance of text and images?

11. Lastly… o Where did the author gather all the information? o Did he/she cite the information correctly? And don’t forget to give the author credit for his/her work!!!

12. Citation Machine http://citationmachine.net/ Examples (also, work cited): McMillin, Paul. "Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages." Cornell University Library. 18 Sept 1998. Cornell University. 19 Jun 2007. "Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply and Questions to Ask." UC Berkeley Library. 16 May 2007. University of California Berkeley. 19 Jun 2007. "Primary Source Village." Village. 23 Aug 2006. University of Illinois. 19 Jun 2007. Brown, Lori. "Search Engines." Lori Brown's Internet Research Web Site. City College of San Francisco. 19 Jun 2007.