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The Second Week:
Developing a Research Strategy

The Internet

-If you're a novice, don't waste your time on the internet. The library is a better place to find "relevant and reliable information."
-Libraries were made for our academic research, while the internet is cluttered with good and bad sources.
-If you've got time, Web searching is fun and you can do the work at home.

Researching at the Library
-Move "from general to specific." General sources are often written by "nonexperts" and targeted for a general audience.
-If you don't know alot about a subject, briefly read about it in a general source. Next, use more specialized sources to actually include in your paper.

Examples
General Source: Encyclopedia
Specific Source: Academic Journal

Drawbacks and Bonuses of Internet Research
Drawbacks
1. Information is disorganized
2. Information is unreliable
3. It often takes too long to find what you are looking for

Bonuses
1.It offers fast access to information on your topic
2.Its easy to find specific information on your subject
3.Printing and downloading information is more simple than using the library

The Invisible Web
Some of the internet is hard to access, because search engines have a difficult time when they come across databases. To find this information, use a specialized search engine. Such as:
-Lycos Invisible Web Catalog
-Intelliseek
-Or Direct Search

How do I know if an Internet Source is Reliable?
1. "keep your purpose in mind"
2. Use government and educational sources over commercial ones. They're less likely to be biased.
(.edu .gov or .org usually indicate a reliable source)
3. Use sources that have authors
4. Use web pages that have been recently updated
5. Use web pages that "document their claims."
For example, if I page has sources cited, it is less likely they made up the information.

Searching
Boolean Searching
-using AND between words will find documents containing both of them.
-using OR between words will find documents containing either.
-using NOT will find documents that don't contain a certain word.

Library Review
-Biblographies
-Interlibrary Loans
-Magazine and Journal Articles
(online databases)

"Living Sources"

INTERVIEWS
-"Check the phone book". For example, If you are writing a paper on toliets, consider going to a toilet retailer for some expert info.
-Ask your friends or teachers. If you are writing a paper about whales, Your biology teacher may know a marine biologist or even he may be able to share something with you.
-Try the Internet.Get the email address of an expert on your topic and ask them some questions.

DESIGNING YOUR QUESTIONS
-Try not to use "charged and presumptuous language"
For example: "Don't you think capital punishment is wrong?"
-"Avoid Vague Questions"
For example: "How do you feel about FSU's drug policies?" This assumes that the subject knows the policies. Explain rather than assume.
-Avoid "Open Ended Questions"
-Multiple Choice Questions are "easier to quantify"

This Information is a summary of week 2, in the Curious Researcher, Bruce Ballenger, Boise State University.