Don't let the flood of info on the web sweep you away!
Updated November 2010
NICHCY’s web resource pages are designed to put you in quick contact with information that’s readily available on the Internet. But if you’ve traveled the web searching for information, you’ve probably already discovered that sometimes it’s like being hit by a tidal wave. How do you weigh what you’re seeing?
This page takes up that very real concern. As we rely more and more on the Internet for information, and as we seek to base our decisions upon research evidence, it’s important to consider the information, and its source, through the lens of a cautious consumer. But how do we do that? The resources listed below will hopefully shed light on the “how” of weighing information, as well as the “why.”
Finding Information
Where can you find research information?
Here’s a quick list to jog your thinking, part of Monroe Community College’s online guide to help students prepare research papers.
www.monroecc.edu/depts/library/resour.htm
Research guides & bibliographies.
From the University of Southern California.
http://libguides.usc.edu/content.php?pid=20343&sid=143161
Think about biases in point of view–both yours and the info’s.
www.virtualsalt.com/infobias.htm
Can You Trust Information from that Book or Journal?
Evaluate information for its authority and appropriateness for your research.
From the library at UC Berkeley.
www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Evaluation.html
How to critically analyze information sources.
From the Cornell University Library.
www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill26.htm
Tips for evaluating the trustworthiness of a research study.
From the Oulu University Library.
http://herkules.oulu.fi/isbn9514272463/html/x321.html
Assessing the methodological quality of published papers.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/315/7103/305
Is this a scholarly journal or some other kind of publication?
From the Cornell University Library.
www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill20.html
Can You Trust Information from that Web Site?
Find out who owns the site–is it who it seems to be?
The WHOIS public database displays a domain name holder’s contact information.
www.networksolutions.com/en_US/whois/index.jhtml
Tips for evaluating the quality and reliability of Internet resources.
www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
More tips–techniques to apply & questions to ask.
From the library at UC Berkeley.
www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
On being a savvy consumer of Web sites.
From Discovery Education.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/eval.html
Help with evaluating and selecting resources.
More from Monroe Community College to guide users of research.
www.monroecc.edu/depts/library/eval.htm
How to evaluate the trustworthiness of a website.
http://websearch.about.com/od/referencesearch/a/evaluatesource.htm
Resource Tools
Print and use this website checklist.
From the library at UC Berkeley.
www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/EvalForm.pdf
Glossary of Internet and website jargon.
From UC Berkeley.
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Glossary.html
Would you like to visit another of NICHCY’s resource pages in our Research Basics series?
- Research 101 | What makes for good research?
- Research 102: Adding Up the Evidence | How do you combine the findings of multiple research studies?
- Research Terms | A glossary.
- Finding Statistics | Looking for statistics for your own work?
- Making Sense of Statistics in Research | Don’t let stats throw you.
- Weighing Info for Its Worth | You’re here!
- Special Education Research: Where to Start? | How to begin finding and applying research.
- What Works: Can We Say? | Where can I find information on evidence-based practices?
- Research-Based Resources on Specific Disabilities | A starting place for research-based information on disabilities.
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