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Internet Academic Information

The internet has over 400 search engines available each offering a slightly different format for research and information retrieval. For the purpose of this class a list of popular and useful search engines is provided. Remember what is most easily available is not always what is most reliable and truly academic research.

Remember you are conducting academic research which requires a higher standard of review recognized by peers and experts in related fields of study. How you successfully identify acceptable academic research sites.

Information taken from primary research conducted by experts in any field of study; Sources quoting primary research, journals reviewed by experts are mostly acceptable. Research sites that are commercial in nature ending with .com are normally not acceptable for research purposes, however can provide a guide to broadening your search.

Sites and documentation deemed not to be credible are dictionaries, blogs, twitter, Wikipedia, encyclopedias and news papers. Conducting your research is more than locating a site and copying and pasting information on a document and turning it in for a grade. Guidelines for using another individual or individual’s information in your research have been established. These are known as APA standards and they are developed by the American Psychological Association as a collection of rules for written communication.

Purdue Owl is an excellent source of information on format and use of the APA standards for written communications. Purdue Owl: APA Overview and Workshop is recommended reading for all students. (owl.english.purdue.edu) Learning to write to APA standards while still in high school will provide a great benefit when progressing onto university study and writing.

Internet Cheat Sheet Sites and Information

www.google.com/chrome/

Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.

www.yahoo.com The new Yahoo! experience makes it easier to discover the news and information that you care about most.

www.ask.com Ask.com is the #1 question answering service that delivers the best answers from the web and real people - all in one place.

www.bing.com Bing is a search engine that brings together the best of search and people in your social networks to help you spend less time searching and more time doing.

Each of these sites offers a slightly different manner of search some are more cluttered with ads while others are strictly commercial in nature. Simple or soft searches will bring up a multitude of information only most of it is unusable in academic research. Try typing in Search Scholarly Articles for subject? This will bring up some useable sites along with those for commercial use or simply opinion. Scholarly sites will be grouped together and will list how many times the work was cited. Sites for gathering research.

ProQuest - Online Research Tools for K-12 Schools & Libraries www.proquestk12.com/ Proquest databases cover and provide full-text access to thousands of articles, journals, and academic peer reviewed documentation.

www.jstor.org/ “This database provides full-text access to thousands of articles in leading academic journals from various disciplines such as the arts, sciences, social sciences, language, literature, and history.”  (Ashford University Library 2013)

Search using key words or phrases this will help in narrowing the search. Be Specific: Example if searching for a specific type of fish? Do not simply type fish instead a more specific search would be brown trout. If searching for a phrase then put “brown trout streams” always use quote marks if searching for a phrase. Carefully spell the words or phrases you are using to search using lower case letters is appropriate.

John Deane Loftin JOLOFT5821