how to do proper research on the internet

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How to Do Internet Research

Last Updated: May 17, 2024 Approved

Where to Begin

Getting good sources, evaluating for credibility, compiling and saving your sources.

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 14 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 261,087 times.

The internet has made researching a topic easier than ever before. Instead of making a trip to the library, people with internet access can simply pull up a search engine, type, and click away. But, in addition to making it easier to access information, the web has also made it easier to access misinformation. [1] X Research source [2] X Research source [3] X Research source However, by following some simple rules, you can avoid being fooled or misinformed by a phony, inaccurate, or biased web source.

Quick Guide: Researching a Topic on the Internet

• Select a database or search engine.
• Choose keywords to search for.
• Use advanced search techniques like Boolean operators.
• Look for credible, authoritative sources.
• Find and cite the original source when possible.
• Evaluate sources for credibility.

• You can usually access these databases through your home library’s website. Some academic and universities libraries may require a password if you are accessing them remotely (from somewhere other than in the library itself).
• If you don’t have access to a library, try using Google Scholar for your searches. You can find academic research through this search engine, and Google Scholar will show you where you can find free copies of the articles online.

• Most search engines can be “gamed” by savvy websites in order to ensure their content comes up first. Moreover, each search engine has its own algorithm, and some tailor their results based on your browsing history. So the “top” result on Google will not necessarily be the “top” result on Yahoo, even with the exact same search phrasing. [8] X Research source
• Be aware that simply because you find information online doesn’t make it credible or authoritative. Anyone can make a webpage, and the amount of poor, unverified, and just plain wrong information often outweighs the good stuff online. [9] X Trustworthy Source Pew Research Center Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends Go to source To help you sift through the useless stuff, talk to your teacher or librarian, and use library or academic search engines when possible.

• For example, if you are doing research on feminism in China, you might run a search for “feminism AND China.” This will return results that include both of those topic keywords.
• You can use OR to run searches for related keywords. For example, you could search for “feminism OR feminist OR social justice.” This would return results that contain one or more of those terms.
• You can use NOT to exclude keywords from your search. For example, you could search for “feminism AND China NOT Japan.” You would not get any results that included Japan.
• You can use quote marks to search for full phrases. For example, if you want to search for academic performance , you would search for the whole phrase inside quotation marks: “academic performance.” Be aware, though, that using quotation marks will kick out any result that isn’t an exact match. For example, you would not get results about “school performance” or “academic functioning” because they are not worded exactly the way you searched.
• Use specific keyword phrases to locate the most relevant information. For example, if you are looking for information social welfare expenditures in the U.S., you’re more likely to get the results you want by searching for “total yearly amount spent on welfare programs in U.S.” than searching for “welfare,” which would bring up definitions of welfare, types of welfare in other countries, and thousands more results you don’t want. Be aware, though, that you can’t always find information like this -- the more words you enter, the fewer results you’re likely to get.
• Use alternate words or keyword phrases to locate additional research sources. For example, if you are researching “welfare,” consider using “safety net” or “social programs” or “public assistance” in place of “welfare” to find different results. In many cases, your word choice might unintentionally bias your results, since terms like “welfare” are often politically loaded. Using a wider variety of terms ensures that you’ll be exposed to a broader — and therefore potentially less biased — set of sources.

• For example, in your search for “total yearly amount spent on welfare programs in U.S.,” you’ll quickly discover that there are several different public assistance programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Use that information to decide which program(s) you’re interested in, and then perform a new (more specific) search, such as “total yearly SNAP expenditures in U.S.”

• Government sources will often have “.gov” somewhere in the webpage. For example, the United States Department of State’s website is www.state.gov. The official website for Australia’s Department of Defence is www.defence.gov.au.
• Websites that end in .edu belong to colleges and universities. However, you do need to be careful with .edu sites, because often faculty and students can run personal webpages that will have the .edu extension, but the information there may not be vetted by the university. [11] X Research source It’s better to find academic sources through an academic database or search engine, like EBSCOhost or Google Scholar.
• Websites that end in .org belong to non-profit organizations. While some of these are highly credible, some are not. Anyone can purchase a website with a .org extension. Check these sites carefully, and don’t rely on them as your sole source of information if you can avoid them. [12] X Research source
• Major news sources such as The Guardian, CNN, and Al Jazeera tend to be credible, but you also need to make sure you’re reading a factually based article and not an opinion piece. Many news sites also have blogs and editorial sites where people can state their opinions, which aren’t necessarily backed up by facts.

• While it’s impossible to view all of the results for most searches, it’s important to view at least several pages of results in order to ensure you’re not missing important information. Because of search engine optimization, if you’re using a regular search engine like Google or Yahoo, the first several pages might contain the links that were most effectively promoted, not the ones with the best information. [14] X Research source

• For example, if you are writing a report on penguins, you could start with the Wikipedia page on Penguins. Scrolling to the References section would show you several peer-reviewed academic journal articles on penguins, along with references to book chapters by academic publishers. Look at those sources for more authoritative information.

• For example, if you’re doing research on changes in welfare expenditures during the past 20 years, there’s no reason to trust a blog, or any secondary source. Most credible sources will note that they’re using data from federal agencies. Therefore, it’s usually better to search for the original government data sources and cite them directly, rather than citing a page that is itself just reporting (possibly incorrectly) the data.
• Citing the original source will also make your own research more authoritative and credible. For example, it is much more impressive to your teacher if you cite an article from the National Institutes of Health (a US government source) than if you cite an article from WebMD -- even if they have the same information. If you can cite the original scholarly research that produced the information you're discussing, that's even better.

• No matter what information you’re seeking, if you can’t find a single official source, it’s advisable not to trust a piece of information until you find identical information on several independent sites. So, for example, if you can’t find an original source for SNAP expenditures in 1980, enter the data you found into a search engine to ensure that the same number is reported on multiple sites and that those sites are not all citing the same (potentially erroneous) source.

• If you’re using an academic database, check out who published the article or book. Texts from prestigious journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine , and books from academic publishers like the Oxford University Press, carry more weight than sources from less-known publishers.
• If you’ve never heard of a source, the first place to look is the “About Us” (or similar) portion of the website. If that doesn’t provide you with a good idea of who’s producing the web page, try conducting an internet search for the site itself. Often news articles, Wikipedia entries, and the like that reference a source will include information about its affiliation(s), ideology, and funding. When all else fails, consider using a web domain search engine to discover who owns the website. However, if you’ve had to go to that length, chances are good that the site is too obscure to be trusted.

• For example, does this person have education in their field? Neil deGrasse Tyson has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the prestigious Columbia University, so it’s likely that what he says about astrophysics is credible and authoritative (meaning trustworthy and up to date). On the other hand, an amateur star-watcher’s blog will not be authoritative, even if the information is accurate.
• Has the author written anything else on the topic? Many authors, including journalists and academic scholars, have areas of specialty and have spent years studying and writing about these topics. If the author has written many other articles on the same area, this makes them more credible (especially if those articles are peer-reviewed).
• If there is no author, is the source credible? Some sources, particularly government sources, will not list an author. However, if the source you are getting the information from is authoritative -- such as an article on chickenpox from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- the absence of an author isn’t cause for concern on its own.

• For example, if you were writing a research paper on treatments for cancer, you wouldn’t want to use only articles from the 1970s, even if they were published in prestigious academic journals.

• Look for the site’s sources. A credible internet site will cite its sources. A really great site may even link out to the original research articles so you can track them down. If you can’t find any references for the information provided, or if the references are out of date or poor quality, it’s a good sign that your site isn’t reliable.
• Watch for bias. Highly emotional language, inflammatory rhetoric, and informal writing are all signs of potential bias in your source. Most academic writing tries to steer clear of these and aim for impartiality and objectivity as much as possible. If your website uses emotional language like “Manipulative big pharma companies are out to keep you broken and unhealthy to line their own pockets!” it’s a good sign that there is bias present.
• Review each website for grammatical errors and broken links. If the website is credible and reliable, grammar and spelling should be accurate, and all links should take you to the appropriate landing page. Websites with numerous grammatical errors and broken links may be copying their information from another source or may not be legitimate.

• Bibliography entries for webpages traditionally consist of the author of the web article or webpage (if available), the title of the article or page, the name of the site, the site’s web address, and the date on which you accessed the article or page.

• The simplest way to save a webpage as you see it today is to print a hard copy or save it as a PDF. [19] X Research source This will allow you to refer back to the page, even if it's moved or deleted.
• Since a hard copy or PDF version will only be available to you, you should periodically check the links in your research if it is published on the web. If you discover a web page has been deleted or moved, you can keyword search for its new location in a search engine or check to see if it was archived by Archive.org's Wayback Machine, which preserves web pages as they previously displayed. [20] X Research source

• Using the bookmarks feature of your web browser is the simplest way to save sources. Rather than saving every source in the parent “Bookmarks” folder, consider creating subfolders for specific topics. For example, if you’re researching welfare, you might want to create a folder for “Welfare” in “Bookmarks” and then maybe even create more folders within “TANF,” “SNAP,” etc.

• Numerous services and apps have made it possible to sync sources to the cloud, capture images of web pages as they appear on the day you accessed them, add keywords to sources, etc.
• Many of these services, such as Zotero, are freeware created by academics and other open-source advocates. Others, such as Pocket, offer some services for free and charge for others. If you need functions beyond your web browser’s standard bookmarking features, consider using one of these sources to make organizing your sources easier.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/401/internet-politics.html
• ↑ http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ZDM/story?id=97336&page=1
• ↑ http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/corrections_dont_go_viral.php
• ↑ http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/reading-and-researching/research-using-internet
• ↑ https://eric.ed.gov/
• ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
• ↑ http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/professional
• ↑ http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/internet.htm
• ↑ http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/11/01/how-teens-do-research-in-the-digital-world/
• ↑ http://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo
• ↑ http://www.pcworld.com/article/2853698/how-to-save-a-webpage-as-a-pdf-or-mht-file.html
• ↑ https://archive.org/web/

About This Article

To do internet research, look for sources that are credible and reliable by prioritizing information from academics, government sources, and nationally recognized news organizations. The best way to find academic sources is through a reputable academic database like Google Scholar or EBSCOhost. If you’re using a news source such as The Guardian, check that what you’re reading is a factually based article and not an opinion piece. Once you’ve found reputable sources, make sure to back them up either by printing or saving them as PDFs, since web pages can get moved or deleted. For more tips, like how to spot information that is reliable and accurate, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Student's Internet Research Guide - 2024 Edition

Research skills are the foundation of academic growth. our 2024 edition equips students with the latest tools and techniques..

Lyndon Seitz - Editor-in-Chief

Date Modified: April 18, 2024

In today's digital age, internet research stands as an indispensable skill for students worldwide. As Bill Gates once remarked, "The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow." Recent studies indicate that 96.4% of students rely on the internet for academic research, emphasizing its pivotal role in education.

However, while the vast expanse of the internet offers immense resources, discerning credible information remains a challenge. This guide aims to equip students with strategies to navigate and harness the web's potential, ensuring academic rigor and success.

Understanding Internet Research

Basics of internet research for students.

Internet research refers to the systematic process of seeking, collecting, and evaluating online information to draw meaningful conclusions or aid in decision-making . Its significance is underscored by the rich reservoir of data and perspectives it unlocks for students, granting them access to a universe of knowledge beyond traditional textbooks.

Types of Internet Research

• Academic Research: Primarily focuses on scholarly pursuits, involving the utilization of journals, educational databases, and official publications to procure credible and in-depth information pertaining to various subjects.
• Comparative Research: This involves juxtaposing various sources, opinions, or datasets available online. It aids students in developing analytical acumen, enabling a multifaceted understanding of topics through comparative analysis.
• Data-driven Research: Grounded in statistical exploration, this type leverages online databases, government publications , and credible organizations’ resources to obtain factual, quantitative information essential for objective analytical assignments.

The diligent use of internet research is directly proportional to academic success . A student's capacity to discern quality sources, synthesize varied information, and utilize it effectively in their academic pursuits is a testament to not just their research acumen but also their readiness for higher education and professional life.

Challenges in Online Research

As the digital landscape burgeons with information, the complexities of sourcing, interpreting, and leveraging this information grow in tandem. It's not just about finding data anymore; it's about finding the right data and understanding its context .

Key Challenges in Online Research:

• Information Overload: With billions of pages at our fingertips, filtering pertinent information can be overwhelming. One must skillfully use search operators and specialized databases to hone in on relevant content.
• Evaluation of Credible Sources: Not all information is created equal. According to a report from the Stanford History Education Group, many students struggle to evaluate the reliability and credibility of online sources. It's essential to scrutinize the authority, accuracy, and objectivity of any source.
• Spotting Red Flags: The web is rife with skewed perspectives, intentionally false data, and biased content. Recognizing these pitfalls is a critical skill to prevent being misled.
• Avoiding Plagiarism: Directly lifting content from the web without proper attribution is not only unethical but can have serious academic and professional repercussions . Platforms like Turnitin and Copyscape have become essential tools to ensure originality.

The challenges of internet research are manifold, but with the right strategies and a discerning approach, one can transform these challenges into opportunities for enriched understanding. 

Starting Your Research

Define Objectives Clearly

Embarking on a research journey without a clear map can lead to wandering aimlessly in the vast ocean of information that the internet presents. 

Starting your research rightly not only sharpens your focus but also streamlines the process, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. The fundamental step in this endeavor is to define the research objectives with clarity, acting as a guiding light throughout your journey.

• Purpose: The primary step in any research journey. It's about answering the 'why' of the research. What is the main goal? Whether it's understanding consumer behavior, exploring a historical event, or gauging the impact of a technological advancement, the purpose sets the tone and direction.
• Achievement: This answers the 'what' of the research. What milestones need to be reached? It can be gathering specific data, drawing certain insights, or producing a comprehensive report.
• Target Audience: Knowing the 'who' can shape the 'how' of research. Is the research intended for academics, businesses, policymakers, or general audiences? Tailoring the research to the needs and preferences of the intended audience ensures its relevance and usability.

Efficient research leads to well-informed arguments, fosters critical thinking, and elevates the quality of academic output . Moreover, by serving the genuine interests of its readers, the research becomes a beacon of knowledge, contributing significantly to the academic community and beyond.

Choosing Reliable Sources

In online research, source credibility is crucial to maintain integrity. Choosing reliable sources ensures accuracy and validates your work to critical readers , as scholarly work depends on trustworthy sources.

• Scholarly Articles: Peer-reviewed journals and publications are gold standards in research. They undergo rigorous evaluation by experts in the field , ensuring accuracy and credibility. Sources like Google Scholar or JSTOR can be invaluable.
• Recognized Institutions: Universities, research centers, and professional organizations often publish studies, papers, and reports. Their reputation hinges on the quality of information they disseminate, making them trustworthy sources.
• Government Agencies: Government publications, statistics, and reports are typically well-researched and factual. Websites with domains ending in '.gov' or similar official extensions indicate authentic government-associated resources.
• Expert Blogs and Forums: While they may lack the formal scrutiny of academic journals, expert-authored blogs or niche forums can offer insights, especially on contemporary or emerging topics. However, they always cross-reference their claims with established sources .

Developing a Research Question

The essence of fruitful research often lies in the strength of the question that guides it. A well-phrased research question not only provides clarity but also ensures that your exploratory journey remains productive, purposeful, and focused.

Crafting Questions

Forming open-ended and focused questions is crucial. While open-ended questions such as "What are the impacts of social media on mental health?" provide a broader perspective, focused questions like "How does social media usage among teenagers in the US correlate with anxiety levels?" delve into specifics, ensuring depth in research.

Focused Topics

A research project's success often hinges on the specificity of its subject matter. Instead of attempting to cover the vast expanse of a topic like "The history of art," narrowing it down to "The influence of Renaissance art on modern graphic design" can provide more actionable insights and allow for a thorough exploration.

Guided Search

A well-constructed research question is a researcher's compass. For instance, if one were to investigate the " Economic impact of the 2008 financial crisis on small businesses in New York ," search engines and databases can be used more effectively to filter relevant studies, articles, and data pertaining to that precise topic, making the process efficient.

The art of formulating a research question is a blend of curiosity and precision . In an age where the internet offers an overwhelming abundance of information, the ability to ask the right questions is the key to unlocking valuable insights.

Creating a Research Plan

Crafting a research plan offers a blueprint, illuminating each step of the process and ensuring efficiency and direction. Given the sea of information available online, this blueprint becomes especially pivotal in maximizing productivity and maintaining focus.

Task Breakdown

Deconstructing your research into granular tasks and steps ensures a systematic approach. For instance, researching the impact of AI in healthcare can be broken down into tasks like "Study AI algorithms," "Analyze AI applications in diagnostics," and "Evaluate AI's role in patient management."

Realistic Deadlines

Establishing a timeline fosters accountability and pace. If you're researching for a 10-page paper on "Sustainable Energy Solutions for Urban Areas" due in a month, you might allocate the first week for background reading, the next two for detailed research, and the final week for drafting and refining.

Review Time

No research is complete without thorough revision and validation. Setting aside ample time to revisit gathered information ensures accuracy and comprehensiveness . For a topic like "Blockchain in Financial Transactions," after accumulating data and drafting initial findings, dedicating a few days to validate sources, cross-check facts, and tighten arguments can make all the difference.

Developing Effective Research Strategies

Utilizing Keywords Effectively

Keywords are crucial in digital research because they help filter and find relevant information in a vast digital archive. Using keywords effectively is not just about searching well; it's about getting precise and in-depth results in an age of information overload.

Relevant Keywords

Central to any search process, understanding and selecting appropriate search terms is paramount. For instance, while researching the "Impact of climate change on marine life," terms like "ocean acidification," "coral bleaching," and "sea temperature rise" can hone in on niche topics within the broader subject.

Long-tail vs Short-tail

Short-tail keywords, like "climate change," provide a broader scope, ideal for an initial exploratory phase. In contrast, long-tail keywords, such as "effects of climate change on Antarctic penguins," offer a narrow, in-depth perspective, beneficial for detailed investigations.

Keyword Tools

While search engines are powerful, tools like Google Keyword Planner can elevate the search experience. It provides keyword suggestions, search volume data, and competitive insights. Alternatives such as SEMrush or Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer can offer expanded functionalities, catering to diverse research needs.

Boolean Operators

Boolean operators act as a refined toolkit, enabling scholars to navigate vast datasets with surgical precision. Mastering these operators transforms searches from simple queries into strategic endeavors, streamlining access to desired content .

Using AND, OR, NOT

The Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT are the guardians of search relevance. Using "AND" unites terms, narrowing results (e.g., cats AND dogs). "OR" broadens searches by embracing multiple terms (e.g., cats OR dogs), while "NOT" excludes unrelated information (e.g., cats NOT lions).

Nested Searches

Parentheses breathe structure into complex searches. They help manage the chaos, allowing for intricate combinations of terms and operators, thus sharpening the sword of specificity. For example, using parentheses in a search like (cats OR dogs) AND (pets OR animals) refines and organizes the onslaught of information.

Truncation and Wildcards

Symbols like '' or '?' are the allies of adaptability in search queries, allowing for variations of keywords to be included. Truncation (e.g., teach) would embrace 'teacher', 'teaching', or 'teachable', while wildcards (e.g., wom?n) allow for flexibility, capturing terms like 'woman' or 'women'.

Using Advanced Search Features

Advanced search functionalities, often underutilized, are akin to a master key, unlocking doors to refined results. Their adept use can streamline the research process, bringing accuracy and efficiency to the forefront.

• Search Engine Features: Leverage specialized functionalities such as Google’s "verbatim" or "similar" searches to cultivate richer, more precise results. These features, when adeptly utilized, transform generic searches into focused, purpose-driven queries, offering a gateway to more relevant information.
• Filters: Applying filters like "time," "region," or "language," elevates the specificity of search outcomes. For instance, filtering news articles to display results from the past week can significantly refine the timeliness and relevance of the information retrieved, ensuring it aligns more closely with current trends or discussions.
• File Type and Date: Direct your search towards specific document types such as PDFs or PowerPoint presentations, or focus on publication dates to ensure the relevance of sourced materials. For example, seeking academic research papers published in the last two years and filtering for PDF file types can help locate the most recent scholarly discussions available in a ready-to-use format.

Evaluating Online Sources

Criteria for Assessing Source Credibility

The credibility of sources shapes the foundation upon which our knowledge and arguments stand. But how do we differentiate the trustworthy from the deceptive? The following criteria offer a guiding light.

• Author Qualifications: A discerning eye towards the author's credentials is fundamental. For instance, a scientific article authored by a Ph.D. holder with expertise in the relevant field carries more weight , ensuring that the content is steeped in knowledge and experience.
• Source Citations: The robustness of a source is often reflected in its citations. A well-sourced article, referencing reputable and relevant works , stands as a pillar of reliability. For example, a health-related article citing recent medical journals demonstrates a strong foundation.
• Publication Date: Timeliness is key. An article on technology trends from a reputable source but dated five years ago may not contribute valuable, up-to-date insights. It's imperative to seek information that echoes the current state of knowledge or developments .
• Peer Reviews: In academic circles, peer-reviewed articles are golden standards. They undergo rigorous scrutiny, ensuring that the research presented is sound and validated by experts. For instance, in scientific research, journals like "Nature" and "Science" are esteemed for their peer-review process, bolstering the credibility of their publications.

Meticulous evaluation using these criteria doesn't just elevate the quality of research; it ensures integrity, fostering trustworthiness and excellence.

Understanding Source Bias and Perspective

In the age of information, discerning the neutrality of online content is paramount. As every source carries its undertones, identifying bias and recognizing objectivity becomes the linchpin of credible research.

Bias/Objectivity

Content often mirrors the perspective of its creator. For instance, a tech review may lean favorably towards a product if sponsored by its manufacturer, while independent reviewers might provide a more balanced assessment. Hence, researchers should cross-reference multiple sources, ensuring a holistic understanding devoid of undue influence .

Relevance to Your Topic

Ensure the source directly addresses your research query. For example, a study focusing on the impacts of social media on mental health is pertinent when researching mental wellness trends among teenagers in the digital age. This focused approach promotes relevant and valuable insights, bolstering the integrity of your research outcomes.

Accuracy and Reliability

Always validate the trustworthiness of information. For instance, a claim stating " 93% of global youth use social media daily " should be corroborated with reputable datasets or studies, such as those from Pew Research Center. Such a rigorous approach filters out discrepancies, ensuring research is rooted in undeniable facts.

Cross-Verification Techniques

Cross-verification stands as a researcher's sentinel, ensuring online information withstands scrutiny and consistently aligns with multiple trusted sources, thereby cultivating a garden of genuinely insightful and trustworthy knowledge.

Multiple Sources

The key to a well-rounded perspective lies in comparing information from various reliable sources.

• When researching climate change, cross-referencing data from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), NASA, and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) ensures a comprehensive view.
• For political analysis, combining insights from The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, and Al Jazeera offers a balanced outlook.
• In health research, verifying findings from the World Health Organization (WHO), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and respected medical journals reinforces credibility.
• Exploring tech trends becomes more insightful when data from MIT Technology Review, Wired, Forbes, BroadbandSearch and TechCrunch converge, providing multifaceted perspectives.

Consistent Facts

One of the cornerstones of evaluating online sources is identifying consistent facts across multiple reputable references. For instance, in researching the health benefits of a particular diet, cross-referencing sources like Mayo Clinic and Harvard Medical School can validate consistent claims about its positive impacts. This verification approach strengthens the credibility of the information and minimizes the influence of bias, fostering more reliable research outcomes .

Cross-referencing

Efficient cross-referencing is a key element in source evaluation, empowering researchers to navigate the digital landscape with precision. Utilizing specialized tools and strategies ensures accuracy and minimizes the influence of bias.

• Google Scholar: An invaluable resource for academics , it allows users to explore academic papers, patents, and legal opinions across multiple disciplines, aiding in thorough source comparison.
• Library Databases: University libraries often offer access to databases like JSTOR, facilitating cross-referencing across peer-reviewed journals.
• Fact-checking Websites: Platforms like Snopes or FactCheck.org verify claims, helping researchers debunk or substantiate information.
• Media Bias/Fact Check: This online resource rates news outlets on their bias and credibility, offering insights into the reliability of news sources.

Identifying Fake News and Misinformation

Spotting characteristics of misleading content misinformation and fake news are rampant online, threatening to erode trust in information sources. Understanding their common characteristics is essential:

• Sensationalism: Content with exaggerated claims or alarmist language, such as "Groundbreaking Cure Found for All Diseases!" often aims to evoke strong emotions , leading to uncritical acceptance.
• Lack of Credible Sources: Misleading information often lacks reputable references, making it challenging to verify claims. For example, an article claiming a new scientific discovery without citing any scientific journals or experts.
• Confirmation Bias: Misinformation often reinforces existing beliefs or prejudices, resonating with preconceived notions. This bias can cloud critical judgment , as individuals are more inclined to accept information that aligns with their beliefs.
• Anonymity or Pseudonymity: Sources that conceal the identity of authors or organizations may raise suspicion. Misinformation can thrive in the shadows, as accountability is often absent.

By recognizing these characteristics, individuals can become more adept at evaluating online sources and safeguarding themselves against the spread of misinformation.

Managing and Organizing Information

Effective Note-taking Strategies

Effective note-taking is a superpower. It's the compass that guides us through the mystery of knowledge, helping us capture insights, facilitate learning, and stay organized.

Digital Tools for Note-taking

Digital note-taking tools have revolutionized the way we capture and organize information . Discover how these versatile tools, like OneNote, Evernote, and Google Keep, empower users to streamline note-taking, enhance productivity, and effortlessly manage digital information, making them essential assets in the digital age.

• OneNote: Microsoft's OneNote is a versatile digital notebook that seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft apps. Users can create notebooks, organize notes into sections, and incorporate multimedia content. For instance, students can create dedicated notebooks for different subjects, enhancing study efficiency.
• Evernote: Evernote is a cross-platform note-taking app that excels in organization. It offers features like notebooks, tags, and a powerful search function. Business professionals can use Evernote to collate meeting notes, research, and ideas, streamlining workflow.
• Google Keep: Google Keep is a user-friendly, cloud-based note-taking app ideal for quick, accessible notes. Its integration with Google Workspace enhances collaboration. For instance, teams can use Google Keep to brainstorm ideas, create to-do lists, and share them seamlessly.

Strategies for Organizing Notes Effectively

Effective note-taking isn't just about jotting down information; it's about organizing it systematically:

• Create Categories: Organize notes by themes or subjects. For instance, a student can categorize biology notes into subtopics like "Cell Structure" or "Genetics."
• Use Tags: Apply descriptive tags to notes. In a work setting, tags like "Meeting Minutes" or "Project Updates" help quick retrieval.
• Color Coding: Assign colors to categories or priorities. For example, in a to-do list, urgent tasks can be highlighted in red.
• Date Stamping: Always date your notes. This practice aids in tracking the timeline of events or progress on projects.
• Table of Contents: Create a summary or table of contents for longer documents, facilitating quick navigation within extensive notes.

Effective Summarizing Techniques

Efficient summarizing techniques are essential for distilling complex information into concise, comprehensible notes:

• Highlight Key Points: Identify and underline the most important details within your notes to create a quick reference.
• Use Bullet Points: Condense information into bullet points, simplifying content while retaining crucial data.
• Paraphrase Succinctly: Rewrite information in your own words, ensuring clarity without losing the essence of the content.
• Mind Mapping: Visualize relationships between ideas with mind maps, aiding in grasping concepts holistically.
• Create Flashcards: Summarize key facts or concepts on flashcards for efficient revision and memorization.

Annotating Sources

Annotating sources enhances note-taking efficiency and comprehension:

• Margin Notes: Jot down key insights and thoughts directly in the margins of physical texts or PDFs, providing context and quick reference.
• Highlighting and Underlining : Use colors to emphasize essential information within texts, aiding later review and understanding.
• Sticky Notes: Digital sticky notes in applications like Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Edge enable you to add comments, questions, or insights to specific pages.
• Linking to Notes: Create hyperlinks between notes and related source materials, facilitating seamless navigation and cross-referencing.
• Commenting and Annotating Apps: Apps like Notability and GoodNotes allow for in-depth annotations, including handwriting, diagrams, and multimedia, transforming notes into comprehensive resources.

Citation Styles

Citation styles are the unsung heroes of research, ensuring that credit is given where it's due and lending credibility to academic and professional work.

APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard

• APA (American Psychological Association): Predominantly used in social sciences and education , APA focuses on clarity, conciseness, and precision in citation. Example: "Smith, J. (2019). The Impact of Social Media on Adolescents."
• MLA (Modern Language Association): Commonly used in humanities, arts, and literature, MLA emphasizes author-page format for in-text citations . Example: "(Smith 22)."
• Chicago (Chicago Manual of Style): Adopted in history, arts, and social sciences, Chicago offers two styles—author-date and notes-bibliography. Example (Notes-Bibliography): Smith, John. "The Chicago Skyline." In Chicago: A Visual Journey, 2019, 45-60.
• Harvard: Widely used in various disciplines, Harvard employs author-date citations, prioritizing accessibility. Example: "(Smith 2019) "The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture."

Citation Generators

Citation generators are invaluable aids in maintaining the accuracy and consistency of citations. Here are a few reliable tools and their correct usage:

• Citation Machine : A user-friendly tool that generates citations in various styles, from APA and MLA to Chicago and Harvard. Simply enter the source information, and it formats it correctly. This is ideal for students and researchers looking for a hassle-free experience.
• Zotero : A robust tool for collecting, organizing, and citing research materials. It seamlessly integrates with your browser to save sources and generate citations. Perfect for scholars managing extensive references.
• Mendeley : A reference manager and academic social network that assists in generating citations, creating bibliographies, and collaborating with peers. It's favored by researchers who want an all-in-one solution.
• EndNote : A comprehensive citation management software often used in research institutions, EndNote offers advanced features for organizing and citing sources. It's particularly useful for large-scale research projects.

These tools save time and ensure accurate citations, reducing the risk of errors in academic and professional work .

Collaborating with Peers Online

Online collaboration has become an indispensable tool for individuals and teams seeking to work together efficiently, regardless of geographical boundaries.

Leveraging Collaboration Tools

Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams offer real-time document editing and communication features, streamlining collaborative work for teams worldwide. Google Workspace allows seamless collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, fostering productivity and teamwork. Meanwhile, Microsoft Teams facilitates secure online meetings and file sharing , making it ideal for remote collaboration.

Sharing Resources and Insights Effectively and Securely

With secure cloud storage and file-sharing platforms like Dropbox or SharePoint, you can easily distribute and access resources while maintaining data security. For instance, Dropbox Business provides secure file storage and sharing, ensuring efficient collaboration without compromising data integrity.

Coordinating and Managing Group Research Projects Online

Tools like Trello or Asana enable teams to manage projects efficiently. For example, Trello offers a visual project management approach with boards, lists, and cards, making it simple to assign tasks, track progress, and collaborate effectively on research projects.

These strategies empower you to collaborate seamlessly, sharing resources and knowledge while maintaining security and efficiency in an increasingly digital workspace.

Advanced Research Tools

Utilizing Academic Databases

Knowledge is power, and academic databases stand as digital treasure troves, offering access to a wealth of scholarly resources and research materials.

Access Methods

Navigating databases like PubMed, JSTOR, and Google Scholar involves utilizing specific search queries, filters, and advanced search options to unearth precise scholarly content.

Database Benefits

Academic databases offer curated, peer-reviewed content, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of research materials. In contrast, standard search engines may yield less credible sources , making databases indispensable for academic and professional research.

Subscription vs. Free

Subscription-based databases like ProQuest provide extensive collections of academic resources, while free databases like DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) offer open-access content. Subscription databases often grant access to premium research journals and archives , while free databases promote open knowledge sharing.

Essential Software and Extensions

Specialized software and browser extensions have become indispensable assets for researchers, amplifying productivity and information retrieval.

• Research-friendly Browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge): These browsers offer a multitude of extensions and plugins designed to enhance research, from reference management tools to PDF annotators. For example, the Zotero extension for Firefox allows seamless citation management and reference organization.
• Grammarly: Beyond correcting grammar, Grammarly analyzes context, offering suggestions for writing clarity and correctness. Whether you're composing an academic paper or a professional email, Grammarly ensures your message is precise and polished.
• Turnitin: An essential tool for academia, Turnitin aids in plagiarism detection and prevention . It scans documents for similarities with an extensive database of academic content, ensuring the originality and integrity of research papers.

AI and Machine Learning Tools

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools are revolutionizing research by analyzing vast datasets, predicting trends, and automating tasks, empowering researchers with unparalleled insights and efficiency.

AI-Powered Search

Tools like Semantic Scholar employ AI to provide relevant, context-aware search results, helping researchers discover articles, journals, and studies tailored to their interests. For instance, Iris.ai employs natural language processing to understand research papers and generate connections between them and Citeulike's AI-driven recommendations enhance academic discovery.

Machine Learning for Data Analysis

Machine Learning algorithms enable researchers to identify intricate patterns in vast datasets, aiding in fields like genomics and climate modeling. Example: TensorFlow, used for natural language processing in sentiment analysis.

AI Applications

AI-driven tools like IBM Watson and GPT-4 assist researchers in automating tasks, from literature reviews to data extraction, improving research efficiency and accuracy. Watson Discovery offers AI-driven data insights, while GPT-3 generates human-like text.

Ethical Considerations in Online Research

Respecting copyright laws.

Maintaining ethical standards in online research involves respecting copyright laws, acknowledging the importance of intellectual property , and seeking permission when using others' work to ensure a responsible and lawful online research practice.

Overview of Copyright, Fair Use, and Public Domain

Copyright laws grant creators exclusive rights to their work, but fair use exceptions exist for purposes like education and commentary. Materials in the public domain can be freely used. For instance, a public domain image can be used without restrictions.

Guidelines for Using Images, Videos, and Text from the Internet

When using online content, ensure proper attribution , adhere to usage restrictions , and obtain permissions when necessary . 

• Pixabay: Offers high-quality images and videos for free use.
• Unsplash: Provides a vast collection of professional photos.
• Pexels: Features free stock photos and videos.
• Flickr Commons: Offers historical images and cultural heritage content.

Ethical Use of Data and Privacy Considerations

Respecting data privacy and ethical data use are imperative in online research, safeguarding individuals' rights and ensuring responsible research practices.

Implications of Using Sensitive Data

Researchers must comprehend the legal and ethical consequences of handling sensitive or private data, especially in healthcare or financial studies, to protect participants and avoid data breaches. Comply with laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) when handling personal data. For instance, GDPR ensures the lawful and transparent processing of individuals' data.

Respecting Participants’ Privacy and Confidentiality

Informed consent, anonymization, and secure data storage are crucial. Research ethics boards and organizations like the American Psychological Association (APA) provide guidelines. For example, in medical research, patient data should be de-identified to protect confidentiality. 

Following Ethical Guidelines for Data Handling

Platforms like Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and journals have specific ethical standards for research data. In social sciences, researchers must gain consent, store data securely, and follow ethical guidelines during analysis and publication.

Engaging with Online Communities Ethically

Engaging with online communities ethically entails respecting their norms, privacy, and trust. It involves upholding the principles of informed consent and ensuring that the research contributes positively to the community.

Participating Responsibly in Online Forums and Groups

Uphold respectful and responsible conduct when engaging in online communities such as Reddit, Quora, and Stack Exchange. Respect community norms, obtain consent if necessary, and avoid spamming or self-promotion.

Understanding the Implications of Misinformation and Disinformation

Misinformation and disinformation have profound societal impacts . Recognizing their consequences helps researchers address these issues effectively, as highlighted by studies conducted by organizations like the Pew Research Center.

Avoiding and Addressing Cyberbullying and Harassment

Online harassment is a growing concern . Referencing recent statistics from platforms like Twitter or academic research on online harassment trends can shed light on the prevalence and strategies for addressing this issue.

The Takeaway

In the realm of academia, mastering the art of internet research is akin to unlocking a treasure trove of knowledge. Throughout this comprehensive guide, we've navigated through the essential principles of internet research, from formulating precise research questions to employing advanced research tools. We've explored ethical considerations, source evaluation, note-taking strategies, and the ethical use of data, equipping students with a robust skill set to excel in their academic journeys.

As students, your capacity for growth is boundless. Embrace internet research as a lifelong skill, an ever-evolving art that can open doors to new discoveries and insights . In a world brimming with information, your ability to discern, evaluate, and synthesize knowledge will set you apart.

So, here's the call to action: embark on your research endeavors with confidence, apply the techniques learned, and approach each quest for knowledge with curiosity and critical thinking. As you do, you not only enhance your academic prowess but also contribute to the broader culture of continuous learning and intellectual advancement. Your journey as a researcher has just begun; the virtual library of the internet awaits your exploration, so keep learning, keep growing, and keep researching.

Can I rely solely on open-source information for my research?

Open-source information can be valuable, but it's essential to diversify your sources. Depending on your topic, you may need peer-reviewed articles, data from academic databases, or expert insights not readily available in open sources.

What role do social media platforms play in research?

Social media can be a resource for real-time data and discussions, but it should complement, not replace, traditional sources. Use it cautiously, considering issues like bias and privacy, and cite social media posts properly in academic work.

Is it necessary to pay for academic databases when much information is available for free?

Paid academic databases offer access to extensive, peer-reviewed content critical for in-depth research. While free sources are valuable, consider the depth and quality of information required for your study when deciding.

How can I improve my research efficiency without compromising on the quality of information?

Enhance research efficiency by refining your search queries, using advanced search tools, and organizing sources effectively. Prioritize sources based on credibility, relevance, and recency to streamline your research process.

What steps can I take if I cannot find information on my research topic?

If information is scarce, broaden your search terms, explore related fields, or consult with experts. Additionally, consider adjusting your research question or exploring unconventional sources for insights.

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Conduct High Quality Online Research: Process, Types, Tools, Tips & More

If there’s one constant in modern life it’s this: research. No matter the topic, it’s imperative that most of us conduct thorough research for a variety of purposes online.

We research products and options when we want to buy something. We research markets and competitors when we want to sell something. We research topics and exes when we want to know or learn something.

We do research on the internet for so many different reasons, it can be hard to think about “online research” as one task—but if you add it all up, many of us spend a lot of time doing research on the internet. So there’s some serious value in understanding how to do that research more thoroughly, accurately, and quickly.

In this article we will cover:

• PROCESS:  The online research process
• METHODS:  Research methods and strategies
• TYPES:  Some of the most common types of research you can do online
• TIPS:  7 tips for better online research
• TOOLS:  Research tools and companies to improve and expedite the research process
• RESOURCES:  35 great internet research resources
• DELEGATING:  How you can delegate your research to a virtual assistant (VA)

The Online Research Process in 6 Steps

Broadly speaking, the typical online research project goes through 6 key steps. While you probably don’t tick off all these steps every time you research something online, following them can help ensure your research is complete, accurate, and useful.

Let’s talk about what those steps are and why each one is worthwhile for just about any online research you do.

1. Choose and define your topic of interest

This first step is where you’ll get specific about just what it is you’re looking for. What’s your end-goal? Why are you conducting this research? What are you hoping to learn or achieve?

For market research, this might be developing a full understanding of the competitors in the space and their positioning. For product research, you might be trying to arrive at the best option for you to buy.

The key is to make a comprehensive list of the research questions you want to answer and the individual items that interest you. This list will help inform where and how you do your research and ensure you don’t wind up with a bunch of information that doesn’t help or interest you.

2. Determine which fields of study you’ll need to look into

This step will help you define and narrow down the type of journals, databases, websites, etc. that you’ll look to for information.

For example, if you’re doing product research and you want to know how valuable existing customers find a given product, you may turn to prominent third-party review websites. If you’re doing medical research, you may look into the relevant medical journals for your topic.

3. See what research has been done and conclusions have been drawn

Step 3 is likely the part of the process you most often associate with “research.” Now’s the time to dig into your research sources, read up on the topic, and look to see how other people have answered the questions you laid out for your research.

The important part of this step is to stay organized and on-task. It’s easy to get lost in all the information, so it’s best to have a clear process and to keep your sources and learnings organized.

4. Evaluate your sources and information

In today’s digital world, this step is even more important than the rest. No matter the topic of your research, you need to take the time to understand and evaluate your sources . Who’s writing about the topic? Why are they interested or invested in it? Do they have anything to gain from what they’re saying?

This step is when you can identify any biases you or your sources have. Think of these biases as gaps in your research—and fill them in with opposing viewpoints and additional information. ‍

5. Determine additional research data collection methods needed and conduct

Whether as a result of biases or something else, it’s not uncommon to find gaps in the research that’s already been done. When that happens, you may consider conducting your own primary research to help fill in those holes in your information.

For example, if you’re missing qualitative market research, you may choose to conduct an online focus group of consumers in that market. For medical research, filling in the gaps might mean conducting an extensive clinical trial. For research into your own customers, on the other hand, it might be as simple as sending out a brief online survey asking for feedback. You can also use online survey platforms to reach a broader base.

6. Organize your full body of research and draw conclusions

Once steps 1 through 5 are finished, you’re ready to start digging into your body of research and drawing your conclusions. This is where you’ll make a final decision on which product to buy or identify where in the market to position your own business, for example.

Online Research Methods & Strategies

When you think about “online research,” what sort of research method do you imagine? Many of us likely think about Googling and reading articles—and that is one method for doing research online. But it isn’t the only one—far from it.

Below are some of the other common online resources for research methods and strategies you can draw on during your research.

Content analysis and social media or social network analysis

Content analysis is the typical web search and read method of conducting research. In this case, you’re consuming secondary research that’s already been conducted and learning from that.

Focus groups

A focus group is when you bring together a group of people to take part in a guided discussion—often this discussion is about their experience with a particular product, brand, political campaign, ad, or TV series/movie. You might picture these happening in-person, but they can also be conducted online using video chat or conferencing software.

Interviews are similar to focus groups—you’re asking real people for very specific information. The difference is that interviews are more often done one-on-one versus in a group. Interviews can also follow a less conversational and more transactional question-answer approach.

Questionnaires and surveys

Questionnaires and surveys share the question-and-answer approach of an interview, but they aren’t typically done live or in real-time. Surveys can be emailed or mailed out to respondents or shared on social media. The respondent completes the questionnaire on their own time and returns it to the researcher when finished.

Web-based experiments

Web-based experiments follow a more regimented and traditional set of processes designed to yield scientifically significant results. There are three main types of experiments:

• Controlled experiments
• Natural experiments
• Field experiments

While the topic varies, many of these experiments can be adapted to take place online.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials are a type of experiment most often done in medical and psychological research. In a clinical trial, the experiment is designed to answer a very specific set of questions. The classic example of a clinical trial is a drug or pharmaceutical trial—designed to answer whether a particular drug affects a given disease or injury.

Online ethnography 

In an ethnographic study, the researcher essentially lives among their research subjects and observes their behavior, social structures, and more. Ethnography is most commonly used in behavioral research like sociological and anthropological studies. Online ethnography simply refers to the method by which the researcher interacts with subjects—online.

Common Types of Online Research

Online research comes in all shapes and forms, but talking about “research” in the abstract can feel a little nebulous. To help you wrap your head around the kinds of online research we’re referring to for our purposes, here are some of the most common types of online research.

Basic Research

Basic research refers to broad studies and experiments done, not to answer a specific question or prove a hypothesis, but to create a foundation for additional studies or experiments.

For example, a study of how caffeine affects the brain would be considered basic research. Its results would increase general knowledge on the topic and likely inspire more specific experimentation.

Here’s another example of what basic research looks like—and how it can often blend into applied research:

• EXAMPLE: via Verywell Mind
• RESEARCH: To start, “researchers might conduct basic research on how stress levels impact students academically, emotionally, and socially.” That might involve content analysis of existing research on the topic, empirical research around students’ moods and performance, and interviews or surveys completed by the students themselves.
• FINDINGS: At the end of the basic research process, researchers have a better understanding of how stress impacts students—but they don’t know why stress has those effects or how to change or solve the effect.
• CONCLUSIONS: Because of that, “the results of these theoretical explorations might lead to further studies designed to solve specific problems. Researchers might initially observe that students with high stress levels are more prone to dropping out of college before graduating. As a result, scientists might then design research to determine what interventions might best lower these stress levels. Such studies would be examples of applied research.”

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research involves studying something using statistical or mathematical techniques and it’s used to understand how often a particular phenomenon occurs. The “quantitative” part of this type of research refers simply to numbers.

Here’s a common example of what quantitative research looks like in action:

• EXAMPLE: via QuestionPro
• RESEARCH: “If any organization would like to conduct a customer satisfaction (CSAT) survey, a customer satisfaction survey template can be used. Data can be collected by asking a net promoter score (NPS) question, matrix table questions, etc.”
• FINDINGS: The survey method above provides “data in the form of numbers that can be analyzed and worked upon.”
• CONCLUSIONS: “Through this survey, an organization can collect quantitative data and metrics on the goodwill of the brand or organization in the mind of the customer based on multiple parameters such as product quality, pricing, customer experience, etc.”

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research , on the flipside, focuses more on observations and non-numerical qualities. It’s used to answer questions about how and why phenomena occur, versus how often.

Here’s an example of what a typical qualitative research study looks like:

• RESEARCH: “A bookstore owner who is looking for ways to improve their sales and customer outreach. An online community of members who were loyal patrons of the bookstore were interviewed and related questions were asked and the questions were answered by them.” 
• FINDINGS: “At the end of the interview, it was realized that most of the books in the stores were suitable for adults and there were not enough options for children or teenagers.”
• CONCLUSIONS: “By conducting this qualitative research the bookstore owner realized the shortcomings and the feelings of readers. Through this research now the bookstore owner can keep books for different age categories and can improve his sales and customer outreach.”

Market Research and Competitive Research

Market research and competitive research refer to gathering information about a particular industry and the companies currently doing business in it. It often involves mapping out the positioning of competing companies or products and is usually done by the companies in the market (or those hoping to be).

Here’s what a typical market research study looks like:

• EXAMPLE: A software company is looking to launch a new product into an unfamiliar market.
• RESEARCH: They conduct research to figure out the features their product will need, what price will be competitive, and where in the market there’s an opportunity to serve an underserved segment of consumers. Research includes basic informational research about competitors, their products, and pricing, content analysis of industry publications, and focus groups with potential customers.
• FINDINGS: The company finds that a small but dedicated segment of consumers in the market have a particular need that isn’t being met by any of the current competitors in the space.
• CONCLUSIONS: They design their product to solve that specific issue and create marketing and advertising campaigns targeted toward only that small niche market.

Customer Research

Customer research is when a business seeks to learn more about their customers (or their competitors’ customers). Often, customer and consumer research are included in the overall market research process we mentioned above.

Here’s what a typical customer research study looks like:

• EXAMPLE: via Hotjar
• RESEARCH: A software company wanted to learn more about what their customers needed from their software, and how they could build a better product and customer experience. They used on-page surveys on their website and some observational research to dig deeper into their customers.
• FINDINGS: Based on their research, the company created in-depth customer personas that exemplified their 3 most common customers, who they are, and what challenges they face.
• CONCLUSIONS: Based on what the company learned about challenges faced by one particular customer segment, they improved a particular feature of the product to improve that customer’s experience. 

Other Common Types of Research

• Comparative research , done primarily in the social sciences, refers to studies that compare a given data set across different geographic locations or cultures. For example, a study may look at the differences in poverty between the U.S. and Canada.
• Medical research can make up a wide range of studies and experiments. The most obvious example is clinical drug trials, which are run to determine the efficacy and safety of new pharmaceuticals. But medical research can also involve observational studies to better understand new diseases and other basic research.
• Legal research most typically refers to two scenarios: 1) finding an answer to a particular legal question or decision that needs to be made and 2) looking for precedent to support a legal argument.
• Product research refers to research done by companies to better understand what their customers are looking for. It can be done during the ideation or new product development phase or to further improve an existing product.
• Empirical research data is collected by observation. In other words, it’s a record of someone’s experience, defined via the 5 senses. For example, an experiment done to figure out if listening to happy music improves subjects’ moods would be considered empirical research.
• Descriptive research is done with the intention of better understanding something. Customer and consumer research are often done in a descriptive way—describing customers and their attributes rather than trying to explain or quantify them.
• Experimental research refers to a more rigid research process than many other research types listed here. In experiential research, researchers follow the research method. They utilize strictly controlled experiments in which one variable is altered and the results either support or refute a specific hypothesis.
• Exploratory research is similar to basic research. It’s done with the goal of better understanding a given problem or phenomenon, and its findings typically inform further research to solve the problem.

Tips for Better, Faster Online Research

Whether you’re new to conducting research online or you’ve been doing it for years, there are always tips and tricks you can employ to streamline, strengthen, and refocus your research process. With that in mind, here are our top tips for conducting high-quality research online.

Know the Information You’re Looking For

With all of the information available on the internet, it’s really easy to get lost. Maybe you end up chasing down rabbit holes or trying to answer new questions every time they arise. Either way, you’re distracted from answering the original questions you set out to.

That’s why it’s so important to get clear about what those questions are, and hold yourself to researching those answers. This is what steps 1 and 2 in our online research process above are designed to help with.

Get Clear About Your Goal for Researching

While similar to the previous tip, defining your goal for research is more action-oriented. When you get answers to the questions outlined above, what will you do with them? All the questions you seek to answer with your online research should serve this overarching goal—helping you make a decision or choose your next course of action.

For example, your goal for travel research might be to choose and book a destination for your next family vacation. For competitive research, your goal may be to identify a niche audience to target within your industry.

Check the Abstract First

If you’re using scientific papers, medical studies, legal reviews, and other academic research, you know you’re in for some dense, lengthy reading. So before you commit to reading anything, check out the abstract first. If you don’t find anything compelling in the abstract, you can safely skip that paper.

Have a System and Stay Organized

As we mentioned before, the internet completely changes the stakes when it comes to research. There’s almost no limit to the amount of research you can do. That’s why it’s vital that you create a system for determining which information you’ll look at, plus how and where you’ll store it. Here are a few suggestions for staying organized:

• Create Google Drive folders to store PDFs and other documents
• Create a designated folder in your Bookmarks to store websites and URLs
• Use a reference management software (like Mendeley ) designed to help organize extensive research
• Delegate the organizing part to a virtual assistant (VA)

Get Started with a Virtual Assistant

Avoid analysis paralysis.

Online research can be incredibly valuable in helping you make informed decisions on a whole range of topics—but it is possible to take research too far, ending up with way more information than you can adequately process. Avoiding analysis paralysis is the only way to ensure your research makes your life easier, instead of the other way around.

Clearly outlining your goals and questions to answer is a good first step in avoiding analysis paralysis. The second part comes down to recognizing when you have enough information to make a decision. Once that happens, it’s usually time to set the research aside and act.

Evaluate Your Sources and Check Your Own Biases

In the time of #fakenews and corporation-funded scientific research, it’s more important than ever to evaluate your sources for online research. To start, just get in the habit of paying attention to who ran the study, wrote the paper, or created an article.

From there, you can look deeper into their objectivity (or lack thereof). Ask yourself whether the researcher has something to gain or lose from the information they’re sharing. Are they interpreting objective information through their own angle? Equally important: how current is the information presented?

In addition to evaluating the objectivity of your research sources, it’s even more important to identify and be aware of your own biases toward the subject matter.

Delegate Research to a Virtual Assistant

Whether you lack the time, expertise, or just desire to conduct thorough online research, there are many reasons to delegate your research to someone else. Online research, in particular, can easily be handled by a virtual assistant ( more on that later! )

Research Tools and Resources to Help with Your Online Research

When the time comes to dive into online research, most of us default to starting with an internet search on Google, followed by trying different search terms and combing through endless search result listings. That’s a fine place to start, but there are also tons of other reputable databases and search engines that can help you get straight to the most accurate and up-to-date research on just about any topic.

Below, we recommend 13 tools that can help you find reputable sources, organize your research, and even conduct your own primary research.

For General Research Articles

• Google Scholar and Google Books
• Library of Congress and LexisNexis
• Project Gutenberg
• Student’s Online Research Guide via AllConnect
• Yale University Research Guides by Subject

Academic Journals

• AcademicJournals.org

For Specialized Research

• Medical: BioMed Central , The Lancet , New England Journal of Medicine , NCBI (Nat’l Center for Biotechnology News)
• Legal: American Law Reports
• Business and industry: Nielsen and Pew Research Center

Online Research Management and Organization

Online research companies.

• 20|20 Research
• Facts ‘n Figures

Virtual Research Assistant Companies

Other great online resources for research.

If you’re looking for more info on various aspects of researching online, here are a few more top-notch resources you can reference.

• For psychological, sociological, and other behavior research: Psychology.org
• For business (market, competitive, and new product) research: QuestionPro
• For market research: Inc.
• To better understand online research and “big data:” Online Research Methods, Quantitative by Hocevar and Flanagin
• On conducting your own survey research: SurveyMonkey
• For legal, news, and public records: LexisNexis online library

Delegating Research to a Virtual Assistant

The advice and resources above are enough to turn anyone into a pro online researcher—but do you really have the time or desire to do your own research online? Regardless of how well done, effective internet research always requires one big investment: time . There’s no getting around the time investment it takes to conduct valuable online research.

Instead of investing that time out of your own busy schedule, you could outsource your online research efforts to a virtual assistant (VA). That way, you get the benefit of making informed decisions without spending days or even weeks wading through abstracts and research articles.

When you work with a Delegated virtual research assistant:

• You can hand-off basic research, competitor and market research, comparative research and more from day one
• You can work with your VA and train them to handle more specialized types of research like medical and legal

In both cases, as your VA gains experience working with you, they’ll get better and better at pulling together exactly the kind of research and insights you’re looking for. Some aspects of research they can tackle include:

• Pulling together research articles and data
• Research annotation and summaries
• Research management and organization
• Various aspects of conducting primary research

How does this work?

We know that delegating something as broad and nebulous as “research” can feel a little foreign if you haven’t outsourced it before. Most of the concerns we hear from people are very quickly quelled by the time savings that come with delegating their research.

That said, if you’re feeling unsure, here are a few of the questions we hear frequently:

How does all this work?

Your Delegated VA is available to you whenever you need them. They can pull together research articles and sources, organize and annotate them, present research summaries and conclusions, and help with many of the tasks involved with conducting your own primary research.

What kind of research can a Delegated VA handle?

Delegated VAs can handle these types of research right off the bat:

• Basic research
• Market research
• Competitive research
• Comparative research
• Data research
• Information research

That said, with a little guidance and training from you, our VAs can take over just about any kind of research you need done.

How will my VA know what information to look for?

Initially, your VA will base this judgment on the information you provide to them. Any information you ask for, they’ll pull together for you. For basic research, they’ll be able to handle most anything you need.

For more specialized research areas (like medical and legal research), your VA may need a little more help from you in the beginning. Rest assured, after a few projects, they’ll be able to handle just about everything you can throw at them.

Can my VA handle next steps after research is done?

If you provide your Delegated VA with the access and information they need to take the next step, they can do that—whether that’s booking a trip based on travel research, purchasing their recommended product, or something else entirely.

How will my VA communicate with me?

Your Delegated VA will communicate with you any way you prefer. If you choose to communicate via Slack, email, phone, or morse code, your VA will work with your preferences to streamline communication.

Wrapping Up

Whether it’s product research, medical research, or something else entirely, conducting thorough and accurate research online takes time—and going without isn’t a great option either.

If you don’t have the time, desire, or expertise to perform your own internet research, you can easily turn the keys over to a virtual assistant. With a little guidance, they can handle a lot more than you may think.

Then, you can spend less time Googling around and more time acting on your research findings.

Glossary of Online Research Terms to Know

Research problem and research question: The central question your research sets out to answer, or the central problem your research sets out to solve.

Correlation: A connection or relationship between two variables.

Causation: A connection or relationship between two variables where a change in one variable creates a change in the other.

Findings: The results and conclusions of your research.

Scientific method: An empirical, step-by-step method whereby hypotheses are formed and experiments/observations either affirm or disprove the hypothesis.

Sampling method: A method for collecting data from a small sample of a given population.

Research methodology: The specific techniques and procedures you use to identify and analyze information about your topic.

Control group: A group within an experiment to which no changes are made in the variable being studied. Control groups are used for comparison to better identify how changes in a variable affect the other group.

Experimental group: The group within an experiment which is changed or manipulated.

Primary research: Data collected directly by you, the researcher.

Secondary research: Data previously collected by other researchers.

Hypothesis: An educated guess or theory about how an experiment will turn out.

Abstract: A brief summary of the contents of a research paper or study.

Bias: Assumptions made without credible evidence, often that skew the ultimate outcome of a study. Bias can be caused by beliefs held by the researcher or by errors in sampling or data analysis.

Kiera's a content writer who works with SaaS and ecommerce companies. Located in Boston, MA, she loves cinnamon coffee and a good baseball game. Catch up with her @Kieraabbamonte or KieraAbbamonte.com.

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Specialized Tasks

15 Steps to Good Research

• Define and articulate a research question (formulate a research hypothesis). How to Write a Thesis Statement (Indiana University)
• Identify possible sources of information in many types and formats. Georgetown University Library's Research & Course Guides
• Judge the scope of the project.
• Reevaluate the research question based on the nature and extent of information available and the parameters of the research project.
• Select the most appropriate investigative methods (surveys, interviews, experiments) and research tools (periodical indexes, databases, websites).
• Plan the research project. Writing Anxiety (UNC-Chapel Hill) Strategies for Academic Writing (SUNY Empire State College)
• Retrieve information using a variety of methods (draw on a repertoire of skills).
• Refine the search strategy as necessary.
• Write and organize useful notes and keep track of sources. Taking Notes from Research Reading (University of Toronto) Use a citation manager: Zotero or Refworks
• Evaluate sources using appropriate criteria. Evaluating Internet Sources
• Synthesize, analyze and integrate information sources and prior knowledge. Georgetown University Writing Center
• Revise hypothesis as necessary.
• Use information effectively for a specific purpose.
• Understand such issues as plagiarism, ownership of information (implications of copyright to some extent), and costs of information. Georgetown University Honor Council Copyright Basics (Purdue University) How to Recognize Plagiarism: Tutorials and Tests from Indiana University
• Cite properly and give credit for sources of ideas. MLA Bibliographic Form (7th edition, 2009) MLA Bibliographic Form (8th edition, 2016) Turabian Bibliographic Form: Footnote/Endnote Turabian Bibliographic Form: Parenthetical Reference Use a citation manager: Zotero or Refworks

Adapted from the Association of Colleges and Research Libraries "Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction" , which are more complete and include outcomes. See also the broader "Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education."

How-To Geek

How to research a topic online.

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The upgrade argument for desktops doesn't stand up anymore, why two monitors are better than one ultrawide, quick links, organize your information early on, start broad and collect a lot of information, decide what's important, and narrow things down, optimize your google search, go further than google, double-check your research, what if you find conflicting information.

Online research is a crucial skill, whether you're working on an academic paper, writing a blog post, or just trying to learn something new about your houseplants. But it's not always easy when you're tackling a complicated or niche topic.

Organizing your information can help you save time, and it can save you from forgetting or misremembering anything that you've learned from your research. You should keep a link to every webpage that you visit from the start to the very end of your research. It's best to write down a little bit of information for each link so that you remember why you saved them and what kind of information that you could take from them. You should also save any PDF's or images related to your research because you can use them as valuable primary sources.

If you need to organize a lot of data across multiple devices, consider using a note-taking app like  Evernote , OneNote , or Google Keep . They're all great for keeping track of web pages, PDF's, photos, and whatever else you need for your big project.

If you're just trying to knock out a short essay or learn something about DIY woodworking, then you probably don't need to grab a dedicated note-taking app unless you already use one. You might find it easier to cut and paste web pages into a Word or Google Doc file and save any PDFs or images to your local or cloud storage drive. Just make sure that you keep your files organized  and take notes for all of your sources.

In the end, you'll probably only use a handful of the links that you save. But if you're publishing a blog post or writing an essay, you need to be able to double-check and cite all of your sources. Otherwise, you might end up creating a lot of extra work for yourself later.

When researching, it's tempting to dive straight into the first exciting thing that you find. But you should try to start as broad as possible. Otherwise, you might miss out on some fascinating pieces of information and end up with a poor understanding of your topic.

That's why you should try to find a lot of information on your topic, more than you think that you'll need. A good way to start broad is to search Google for general terms related to your topic. If you're researching the difference between sunflowers and tulips, then you should learn a bit of information about each flower before going deeper.

Of course, Wikipedia is also a fantastic place to begin your research. You can use Wikipedia to find a lot of general information on your topic, and you can use it to find related topics or primary sources that may be useful as you go deeper into your research.

Once you've collected a broad swath of data, you need to review everything and decide on what to focus. Don't just go for the first thing that sounds interesting to you. Try to find any new relationships between the different pieces of information that you've gathered.

Let's say that you're researching an author, like Mark Twain. You found in your broad research that he was in the Civil War and that some of his stories take place in the antebellum south. On their own, those two pieces of information are boring and hard to care about. But when you put them together, it's clear that there may be a tantalizing relationship that's worth some in-depth research.

It's okay to research a relationship that seems obvious or well-known, especially if you're writing a blog, doing personal research, or doing a rudimentary history paper. But if you want to find something unique, then you need to think about how to narrow your research.

Okay, you're ready to do some more in-depth research. Now what? If you're looking into something that's kind of unique, then you may have trouble finding some good search results on Google.

That's why you need to use some  Google Search Operators  to get the most out of your Google searches. There are a lot of search operators that you can use, and they're all pretty straightforward. But there are a few that are especially useful for doing online research.

If you need to look up exact phrases or names on Google, then you can put them in quotation marks. For example, if you search the phrase "mole people" on Google, then you'll only find pages that contain the word "mole" followed by the word "people."

"Mole people"

The idea of starting broad and then narrowing your search applies to searching the web, too.

For example, if your search for "mole people" include too many results related to New York, then you could use a minus sign to exclude those results. This is what it would look like:

"Mole people" -"New York"

Note that we also used quotation marks around "New York" in that search because we want the whole phrase excluded.

If you hit a point in your research where you can't find any new websites to visit, then you should try to switch up your Google search. Try using variations on the same search terms, and change which Search Operators you're using. Sometimes the slightest change in your search will give you wildly different results.

Sometimes Google's expertise won't be enough for you. If you're working on a full academic paper or writing a deep-dive blog post, then you may need to look through some magazines, academic papers, or old books. You know, "primary sources."

Some websites, like  Project Muse and JSTOR , are an excellent resource for periodicals, academic papers, and other primary sources. You can usually access them through your University or public library. There's also some free alternatives to these websites, like Google Scholar  and SSRN .

But if you're writing a deep-dive on dairy advertisements, then you're going to need to find some old catalogs, magazines, periodicals, and posters.  Google Books  is an excellent resource for this kind of material.

You can also use Wikipedia to find some primary sources. At the end of every Wikipedia article, there's a "References" table. This table tells you the sources for all of the information in the article. If you come across a juicy bit of information while reading a Wikipedia article, then there's usually a small number that links to the reference table.

It's good to look into all of these resources because they usually come up with different results for the same search. They also tend to have built-in advanced search functions, which are useful for topics that are unique or niche.

Once you've completed your research, you need to make sure that all of your information is accurate. You can save yourself a lot of heartbreak by double-checking all of your research before doing any writing.

Go and reread all of your sources, because there's a chance that you misinterpreted what they're saying. Of course, you're not the only person that can misread a source, so it's good to check any citations that you find on a website.

You should also consider how you used Google to research your topic. If you included any bias in your search terms, then there's a chance that the information that you gathered will reflect that bias. Try searching Google with a variety of search terms and  Google Search Operators .

There are also fact-checking websites that you can use to make sure that your information is accurate. Websites like  Factcheck.org  or Snopes  are pretty fantastic; just don't use them as your only fact-checking resource.

Sometimes you'll spend a lot of time double-checking all of your research, and you'll realize that things don't seem to line up. In this situation, it's tempting to stand behind some information that may not be entirely factual. After all, it's a lot easier to go along with inaccurate information than to redo your entire research process.

But you should never write or publish any information unless you're confident that it's accurate. If you run into conflicting information while researching a topic, go back to the drawing board or try to spin the pieces of contradictory information in your favor.

For example, if you find a lot of conflicting eyewitness accounts while researching the Titanic, then you can quickly turn those conflicting accounts into an exciting piece of information. You could even go back and do some in-depth research into who made those eyewitness accounts, and how they shaped the public's opinion on the sinking of the Titanic. Hey, that could be a book.

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Student’s internet research guide for 2024

Apr 29, 2024 — 5 min read

Read our student internet research guide for ways to search smart, check for credible sources and cite your sources.

The internet is crowded! It’s brimming with all kinds of information and resources. With so many choices online, it can be tricky to narrow down what you’re looking for.

But, with the right tips and tricks, you’ll learn how to responsibly navigate the internet and give credit to your sources when doing research.

Read through our student internet research guide below for ways to search smart, check for credible sources and cite your sources. 

• Where do you start

Search smart

• Is your source credible ?
• Cite carefully

Let’s get started!

Where do you start?

Before you embark on your research, you should:  • Ask lots of questions.  • Brainstorm and think out of the box!  • Make a list of what kinds of sites would work best for your topic.  • Break down your research assignment into small parts to tackle it easier. 

What types of resources will you come across in your research?  • Opinion : Based on personal feelings, thought, belief or anything that can’t be proven. Often contain stories and experiences.   • Fact-Based : Can be proven and observed. Often based on reports and studies. Use fact-based sources to guide your research!

Don’t forget to use your school network! It’s likely that your teacher or a librarian can give you access to paid subscriptions or journals that aren’t available in a regular internet search.

Lastly, be patient and stay focused. Search engines turn up millions of results, so it’s easy to get distracted. 

Tips to stay focused:  • Log off of your email or social networks before you start.  • Mark your place and take 5 to 10 minutes to refresh and stretch if you need a break. 

How to search smart: Start your research with a well-known search engine, like Google or Bing. Always check your spelling and be clear when typing in the search bar. 

Narrow down your search by using unique and specific words. Specific searches can make a huge difference in finding what you need! 

Example: If you’re researching the history of mobile cell phones, typing in “cell phone” is too broad. This will bring up cell phone companies or products to buy. Narrow it down by typing in “When did cell phones become popular?” Try putting quotation marks around “your search” to limit the results. 

Although the search engine may list your results in a certain way, this doesn’t mean the ones at the top are the most relevant for your topic. Sort through your results!

Is your source credible? 

You are in the middle of research and come across a new source you’ve never seen before! How do you know if it’s credible?

Follow this checklist: 

Type of website

A college or university website that ends in .edu or a government website that ends in .gov are typically safe choices. Government websites are good for statistics and reports! 

Sites that end in .org are run by a nonprofit organization. These can be good resources but may have a strong bias or opinion. Check with your teacher if it’s a good site for your project.

A business or commercial site that ends in .com is in most cases created to help sell a product. Blogs, personal sites and social media platforms that end in .com are likely to give you an opinion, not facts. Be wary of these sites when doing online research! 

Established news sites are often safe to use, but always check that it’s an original source. If the article cites another source, go directly to that source for the information. 

Subjective vs. objective 

Remember earlier in the guide when we talked about opinion vs. fact-based sources?

A subjective source is opinion-based. You may come across Wikipedia.org in your search. This is a very popular site, but the info can be edited by anyone, no matter what the topic is! It’s best not to rely on Wikipedia. Treat it like any other site, and double-check the sources that the article cites.

An objective source is fact-driven. It’s unbiased, meaning it is not swayed by a person’s opinion. Examples of objective sources are research studies and government statistics.

Is your source credible? (Cont.)

• Currency ◦ Is there a publish date listed? If an article or study was written 10 or more years ago, it may not be the most reliable. Dig deeper to see if your topic has newer, fresher information. If not, it may be that the topic doesn’t change frequently. • Authority ◦ Is the name of the author on the page? Look for the author’s occupation, years of experience, job position or education. With what organization or institution are they with? Is the author qualified to write on this topic and why? Ask these questions to verify.  • Cited Sources ◦ If you find a list of references for your resource, this is a good sign! People can write anything they want online, so it’s a good idea to check the info against other sources to make sure it’s reliable.  • Functionality  ◦ If the site looks very poorly made, has misspellings or security warnings pop up, it’s best to steer clear! But be careful, just because a site may look good, it doesn’t mean it’s always reliable. 

Cite carefully 

When you research online, it can be easy to copy and paste text, then forget to go back later and cite it. However, this is considered plagiarism! 

Plagiarism is when you take someone else’s words or ideas and pass them off as your own. There are tools your teacher can use to quickly check your work for plagiarism. This can have serious consequences, so it’s best to stay on the safe side and always give credit to your source!

If you don’t think you can express an idea better in your own words, you can directly quote the source. It’s helpful to cite as you go and keep track of what you quote from a source each time. 

There are many different formats to cite your source. Read on to the next slide for common citation styles! 

Citation Styles 

The two most common formats are MLA and APA. If you aren’t sure what format to use for your project, check with your teacher! 

MLA – This format is commonly used by the Humanities.

The core elements of this citation include: Author. Title. Title of the container. Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher’s name, Date of publication, Location

APA – This format is commonly used by Education, Psychology and Sciences. 

The core elements of this citation include: Contributors. (Date). Title. Publication Information.

Be sure to check the MLA and APA websites for additional details. There are also online citation generators that can help you cite your source. Always remember to give credit to other people’s work! 

What are some examples of reliable sources?

Peer reviewed journals or websites ending in .edu or .gov are great places to start if you’re looking for reliable sources.

Are websites ending in .net reliable?

They are not necessarily unreliable, but they should be used with caution. Sites ending in .com are generally considered more reliable than .net sites.

How can search engines be used effectively for research?

Search engines can be extremely helpful when researching, but make sure you use clear and specific wording. You can narrow down your results by using keywords, Boolean operators and specific indexes while searching.

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Research Using the Internet

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More and more students are turning to the Internet when doing research for their assignments, and more and more instructors are requiring such research when setting topics. However, research on the Net is very different from traditional library research, and the differences can cause problems. The Net is a tremendous resource, but it must be used carefully and critically.

The printed resources you find in the Library have almost always been thoroughly evaluated by experts before they are published. This process of “peer review” is the difference between, for example, an article in Time magazine and one in a journal such as the University of Toronto Quarterly. Furthermore, when books and other materials come into the University library system, they are painstakingly and systematically catalogued and cross-referenced using procedures followed by research libraries the world over. This process is the basis for the way materials are organized in the Library, and it makes possible the various search functions of the Web catalogue.

On the Internet, on the other hand, “anything goes.” Anyone can put anything they want on a Web site, there is no review or screening process, and there are no agreed-upon standard ways of identifying subjects and creating cross-references. This is both the glory and the weakness of the Net – it’s either freedom or chaos, depending on your point of view, and it means that you have to pay close attention when doing research on-line. There are a great many solid academic resources available on the Net, including hundreds of on-line journals and sites set up by universities and scholarly or scientific organizations. The University of Toronto Library’s Electronic Resources page is one such academic source. Using material from those sources is no problem; it’s just like going to the Library, only on-line. It’s all the other stuff on the Net that you have to be cautious about.

Here are a few basic guidelines to remember:

• Don’t rely exclusively on Net resources. Sometimes your assignment will be to do research only on the Net, but usually your instructors will expect you to make use of both Internet and Library resources. Cross-checking information from the Net against information from the Library is a good way to make sure that the Net material is reliable and authoritative.
• Narrow your research topic before logging on. The Internet allows access to so much information that you can easily be overwhelmed. Before you start your search, think about what you’re looking for, and if possible formulate some very specific questions to direct and limit your search.
• Know your subject directories and search engines. There are several high quality peer-reviewed subject directories containing links selected by subject experts. INFOMINE and Academic Info are good examples. These are excellent places to start your academic research on the Internet. Google , Bing , Yahoo and other search engines differ considerably in how they work, how much of the Net they search, and the kind of results you can expect to get from them. Spending some time learning what each search engine will do and how best to use it can help you avoid a lot of frustration and wasted time later. Because each one will find different things for you, it’s a good idea to always use more than one search engine. For specialized search engines and directories you might also like to try Beaucoup which includes 2,500 + search engines and directories or the Search Engine Colossus International Directory of Search Engines that includes search engines from 230+ countries around the world.
• Keep a detailed record of sites you visit and the sites you use. Doing research on the Net inevitably means visiting some sites that are useful and many that are not. Keeping track is necessary so that you can revisit the useful ones later, and also put the required references in your paper. Don’t just rely on your browser’s History function, because it retains the Web addresses or URLs of all the sites you visit, good or bad, and if you’re using a computer at the University the memory in the History file will be erased at the end of your session. It’s better to write down or bookmark the sites you’ve found useful, so that you’ll have a permanent record.
• Double-check all URLs that you put in your paper. It’s easy to make mistakes with complicated Internet addresses, and typos will make your references useless. To be safe, type them into the Location box of your browser and check that they take you to the correct site.

The following points are guidelines for evaluating specific resources you find on the Net. If you ask these questions when looking at a Web site, you can avoid many errors and problems.

• Who is the author?
• Is the author’s name given?
• Are her qualifications specified?
• Is there a link to information about her and her position?
• Is there a way to contact her (an address or a “Mailto” link)?
• Have you heard of her elsewhere (in class, or cited in your course text or in Library material)?
• Has the author written elsewhere on this topic?
• Who is the sponsor of the Web site?
• Is the author affiliated with a reputable institution or organization?
• Does the information reflect the views of the organization, or only of the author? If the sponsoring institution or organization is not clearly identified on the site, check the URL. It may contain the name of a university (U of T Mississauga’s includes utoronto) or the extension .edu, which is used by many educational institutions. Government sites are identified by the extension .gov. URLs containing .org are trickier, and require research: these are sites sponsored by non-profit organizations, some of which are reliable sources and some of which are very biased. Sites with the .com extension should also be used with caution, because they have commercial or corporate sponsors who probably want to sell you something. The extension ~NAME often means a personal Web page with no institutional backing; use such sites only if you have checked on the author’s credibility in print sources.
• What audience is the Web site designed for? You want information at the college or research level. Don’t use sites intended for elementary students or sites that are too technical for your needs.
• Is the Web site current?
• Is the site dated?
• Is the date of the most recent update given? Generally speaking, Internet resources should be up-to-date; after all, getting the most current information is the main reason for using the Net for research in the first place.
• Are all the links up-to-date and working? Broken links may mean the site is out-of-date; they’re certainly a sign that it’s not well-maintained.
• Is the material on the Web site reliable and accurate?
• Is the information factual, not opinion?
• Can you verify the information in print sources?
• Is the source of the information clearly stated, whether original research material or secondary material borrowed from elsewhere?
• How valid is the research that is the source?
• Does the material as presented have substance and depth?
• Where arguments are given, are they based on strong evidence and good logic?
• Is the author’s point of view impartial and objective?
• Is the author’s language free of emotion and bias?
• Is the site free of errors in spelling or grammar and other signs of carelessness in its presentation of the material?
• Are additional electronic and print sources provided to complement or support the material on the Web site?

If you can answer all these questions positively when looking at a particular site, then you can be pretty sure it’s a good one; if it doesn’t measure up one way or another, it’s probably a site to avoid. The key to the whole process is to think critically about what you find on the Net; if you want to use it, you are responsible for ensuring that it is reliable and accurate.

This page is used with permission of the UTM Library.

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The internet is a vast treasure trove of information, with seemingly endless resources available at our fingertips. However, navigating this ocean of data can be overwhelming and time-consuming if you don’t know where to look or how to evaluate the information you find. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of conducting effective internet research, touching on critical aspects such as utilizing the right tools, using different search engines, and evaluating sources for credibility.

1. Start with a clear research question or topic

Your first step in conducting effective internet research is identifying your research question or topic. Be specific with what you want to find out or learn about; this will help you focus your search efforts and avoid getting lost in irrelevant information.

2. Use the right search engine

While Google might be the default search engine for many people, there are other search engines like Bing, Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, and even specialized academic or industry-specific engines that may yield more relevant results for your topic. Don’t be afraid to experiment with these alternatives during your research process.

3. Utilize advanced search techniques

Mastering advanced search techniques can significantly improve the quality and relevance of your search results. For example:

– Use quotes (“”) to search for an exact phrase.

– Utilize the minus sign (-) to narrow down results by excluding specific words.

– Employ site-specific searches (site:example.com) to concentrate your research on a specific website.

There are many more advanced techniques available—be sure to familiarize yourself with the ones relevant to your chosen search engine.

4. Explore multiple sources and perspectives

Relying solely on the first few results from a single source may lead you astray. Instead, explore various sources that offer different perspectives and viewpoints to gain a more comprehensive understanding of your topic.

5. Check the domain names and URLs

Domain names (.edu, .gov, .org, etc.) and URLs can offer valuable information about a website’s credibility. Educational (.edu) and governmental (.gov) websites tend to hold more trustworthy content. However, be cautious with .org websites, as their credibility can sometimes be questionable.

6. Cross-check your findings

To ensure the accuracy and reliability of your research, cross-check your findings by comparing information from multiple sources. Look for any discrepancies or inconsistencies and make sure to investigate further if necessary.

7. Evaluate the source’s credibility

Effectively evaluating a source’s credibility is essential for successful internet research. Here are a few questions to consider when assessing credibility:

– Is the author an expert in the field or topic?

– Is the website affiliated with credible organizations?

– Are the statistics and data up-to-date and accurate?

– Does the source provide proper citations or references for their claims?

8. Keep track of your resources

Create a digital or physical log of all the sources you’ve gathered during your research, including relevant links and citations. This will ensure you have easy access to your findings if you need to revisit them later on.

In conclusion, effective internet research requires clear objectives, an understanding of different search engines and advanced search techniques, proper evaluation of sources, and tracking resources throughout your investigation. By implementing these tactics, you’ll be well on your way to navigating the world wide web with ease and uncovering valuable information in no time.

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Internet Sources for Research Help Guide

• Online Library Resources
• Scholarly Resources
• Government Resources
• Primary Sources
• Critiquing Websites

Introduction

Google books, google scholar, advanced search, quick search tips.

Google can be a good resource for research, if it is used effectively.

There are specific techniques that you can use to be an effective Google searcher. Your job is to decide which Google database you should use in order to find the types of materials you need, as well as to create searches, or queries, that provide pertinent results.

On the left are the three main Google collections that are useful for doing scholarly research: "regular" Google, Google Books and Google Scholar. On the right are tips for search techniques that will help target your search in such a way that your search results should pertain to the subject you are researching, as well as to the type of material you need.

This is the "regular" Google that we all use.

This is the search engine that allows you to look through Google's huge collection of digitized full-text books.

Google Scholar collects and gives you access to a huge number of scholarly works, including full-text articles and books.

The Google Advanced Search page gives you the capability to create effective and efficient searches without having to use the Google short cuts.

With this search page, you can limit your search by language, file type (.jpg, .pdf, etc) and date range, as well as searching for similar pages, or websites from a particular geographical region.

Google has a help page for Advanced Search

Use Boolean search terms Boolean terms refer to: AND, OR, NOT

These words tell a database how to do the search. "And" combines search terms; "OR" searches for either one search term or another; "NOT" ignores a particular word. (To see a visual representation of Boolean words, go here .)

AND : Google uses an implied "and" between search terms. For example, when you search for maryland constitution what Google does is look for maryland and constitution .

OR : Google will only recognize OR when it is in capital letters. maryland OR virginia

NOT : Google uses the minus sign to exclude terms. maryland -virginia

Restrict the Domain. You can direct Google to look for particularly types of websites, such as government, military, non-profit or education. This is done by indicating what type of site you want, using the "site:" command such as:

shays' rebellion site:.edu

Use Quotes To find words in a web page or document in the exact same order, put quotes around them:

"Song of Solomon"

Exclude non-necessary words Use only those keywords that describe your topic:

How did Frederick Douglass affect the Civil War? should be Frederick Douglass Civil War or "Frederick Douglass" "Civil War"

Search synonyms You can search for the synonyms of words by putting a tilde in front of the search term:

~love would search for "marriage," "romantic," "romance," as well as "love."

Search singular and plural Google does not automatically search for the plural form of words. To makes sure it does you have to use the Boolean OR:

sculpture OR sculptures

Searching for common words Google ignores common words such as "how," "this," "where," "a." To make sure that Google does a search for a word like this use the + symbol before the word:

+who +are +you

Use the "fill in the blank" feature Google can still look for something even if you can't remember the full name, or don't know a specific date, etc:

roe v * would search for court cases that began with "roe."

More Support

Google also provides information on how to do searches:

Basic Search Help

Advanced Tips

• << Previous: Critiquing Websites

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Make Your Online Research More Effective [9 Super Hacks]

Writing any type of paper starts with research. That doesn’t seem like a groundbreaking discovery.

But for some reason, many students still fail at conducting proper online research.

• Make a plan and stick to it
• Use multiple search engines
• Watch the sources
• Most of the sites and blogs have a search feature
• Use YouTube
• Check the facts
• Write annotations as you go
• Use online tools and applications for research
• Up with the Internet!

Just look at some of the common mistakes, and try to remember whether something similar happens to you:

• Missing the deadline. Let’s say you have 3 months to write your paper. Seems like a lot of time, right? Nope. You just keep saying “I’ll start tomorrow.” And then you spend sleepless nights on rushed, mediocre research when the deadline is 3 days away.
• Not asking for help. “I’ll figure it out somehow.” How? Guessing what exactly you’re supposed to do isn’t the best strategy. As a result, you end up with a paper that completely misses the main requirements.
• Broadening the topic too much. You lose focus during the research and try to include as many bits and pieces as possible. The paper is without any specific structure and logic. As a result, there are a bunch of interesting facts instead of valuable findings.
• Not caring about the quality of sources. You always like finishing level after level of that puzzle game on your phone, don’t you? Finding relevant sources is like solving a puzzle, where you are looking for the best possible answers to your questions. Poor quality sources will not help you win.
• Fluff. Fluff is only good for kittens and puppies. Not in your research paper. Deciding to ramble to meet the required amount of pages instead of doing extra research isn’t a good idea.

Are any of these mistakes familiar to you?

If yes, it’s all about to change today!

Read on to discover 8 awesome online research hacks. We’ve acknowledged some of the common mistakes, so you know what NOT to do.

And now we’re going to talk about hacks to help you avoid the mistakes. After reading this article, you’ll know how to write a research paper better than anybody else!

Are you ready for this? Here we go!

1. 📝 Make a plan and stick to it

Here is rule # 1:

Before you start writing your research paper, you have to admit that you have a research paper to write.

Sounds strange, doesn’t it?

In fact, it only means that you have to acknowledge this fact by breaking down your upcoming work into milestones. And setting your deadline. And sticking to it. That’s it.

By the way, here is an excellent online tool to help you with your planning: Todoist will never let you get lost in your endless tasks. With its help, you can organize your research, and even create outlines. Use it offline, on any web-based device, on almost any platform. Both free and premium versions are available.

2. 🔍 Use multiple search engines

Do you find researching on the web an intimidating task?

The Internet is endless, so where should you start?

Here’s a helpful reference about the main types of search engines.

Even though the search results may mostly overlap, there still will be content that your favorite engine is missing.

By the way, there are two essential things to bear in mind when conducting Internet research:

• Using the right keywords

Enter only the most relevant words and phrases into a search engine line. No long unnecessary phrases! For example, if you need to research the parts of the U.S. government, try looking for “USA government” or “history of USA government.”

• Using common commands

For detailed information about common search operators in Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, read this article .

3. 👀 Watch the sources

Get rid of irrelevant content.

Sure, it’s easier said than done.

As practice shows there’s so much information on the Internet, you can truly get lost in it and not find your way back home. What’s the way out of here?

A good strategy is using books, library, or essays database as a background for your research.

TIP: Make sure to check out the best places to read and download free books online.

Another thing is the Web:

Anyone can write or say things that seem trustworthy at first glance. But you can’t trust all of them, even if they rank high in Google.

Here are some tips to determine credible sources:

• Website’s main page. Look closely at the “Home Page” of the site, and click the “About Us” link to find out more about the author. It should provide you with information about the source to help you determine its credibility.
• Author. Find the author(s) of the article and search for their qualifications. You can use any search engine to get more data about the author if it’s not available on the site. It’s not advisable to use content that has no author cited.
• Date. The article date helps to determine whether the information is current. Make sure the content you’ve found is not outdated, it may play an important role in many disciplines.
• Sources. Another factor that influences credibility is where the facts were taken from. If you see no sources or references listed, this data may have appeared from someone’s imagination or a rumor. We doubt that you want to use it then.
• Type of site. 1. A scholarly database or a research library’s recommendation – most often, you can trust those. 2. Someone’s personal blog or website – make sure to find the author’s credentials. 3. Wiki resources (Wikipedia, Wikiquote, Wiktionary, etc.) – anyone can contribute to these public databases, and you can verify no authorship. So avoid referring to them. Instead, use them as a good source leading to more credible publications by looking at the works cited at the bottom of the entry.
• Give higher priority to .gov and .edu domains. There’s even a way to filter only those domains in Google. Just type in your keyword phrase and add site:edu or site:gov at the end. You’ll get only sites with this specific domain in the search results.

But you should still watch out even on these sites.

Never rely on this factor only. It’s not difficult to register a .gov or .edu domain today, because so many students own .edu webpages. Be sure to check the website credibility carefully!

4. 🌐 Most of the sites and blogs have a search feature

Let’s imagine; you’ve found a “gold mine” – a credible website full of helpful information for your online research. Go ahead and use the features it offers you. For example, you can find a search box and enter keywords to help you find needed materials.

But if it so happens that search is unavailable or doesn’t work properly on a specific website, you can use the same site: operator to fix this.

Again, type your search request in Google or another search engine, and then add site: example.com (insert your site address).

You’ll only get results from this site.

Easy, isn’t it?

5. 📺 Use YouTube

Are you still wondering how to conduct online research quickly and easily?

What about visiting YouTube?

Yes, that’s right. You can use YouTube for more than watching cats, fail compilations, or other viral videos.

YouTube is the most popular video-sharing site on the web. It’s also a valuable educational resource. To use it successfully, you just need to know how to search and filter properly the incredible number of videos stored there.

By the way,

The authors (or uploaders) of those videos often provide useful links in the descriptions of their videos.

Especially, if you’re a visual person, you should use all the learning opportunities this site offers to users.

6. ✔️ Check the facts

Don’t blindly collect resources because you see they have at least a couple of words on the topic you’re researching.

Spend extra time checking citations and references first. You’ll save a lot of time in the long run.

You won’t have to start the research all over again because some of your resources contained irrelevant or false information.

What you can do here:

Use a search engine to look for needed facts.

Then double-check your findings on different resources, unless you’re 100% sure about the primary source credibility.

Use the Deep Web for fact-checking.

Deep Web refers to various databases and subscription sites. Some of them are free; others may require payment for membership. You may be able to access them through your school’s library.

Use the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

Here, you’ll find information that used to be available on the web but is not there anymore. You might dig out some gold for your research on this website.

Make use of Google Scholar.

The name of this service speaks for itself. It indexes scholarly publications, so you don’t have to filter out the irrelevant information yourself. And while not all the materials are free to access, it’s still an excellent place for finding valuable resources for your research.

7. ✍️ Write annotations as you go

Even if you don’t have to write an annotated bibliography, this is still a good idea.

During your research, you’ll look through tens or even hundreds of pages of different online research sites. So, it will be impossible to keep track what each source you’ve selected was about and its location.

To make it easier:

Create a file with links to your resources along with their short descriptions (author, topic, key points, and URL).

The benefits of writing annotations:

• Stay focused and organized during your research.
• Simplify your entire writing process.
• Help you create a bibliography for your research paper.

This method is perfect for conducting preliminary research. At later stages, you’ll need to think about following our next hack.

8. ☝️ Use online tools and applications for research

It is critical to know how to do online research with careful organization and storage of all the materials you’ve found online.

This list of the best web-based tools will make your research writing easier. Plus, it’s a good opportunity to start stockpiling the valuable information you might need sometime later.

• ReadCube will let you import PDF files from your computer and search through them. You’ll also receive article recommendations daily based on your collected library. This way, you’ll get even more materials without doing any extra search.
• Mendeley is a popular tool to enable you to read, manage, and annotate your documents in any style you need. All in one secure place. Mendeley’s other great feature is that anyone can connect and collaborate with millions of researchers from any part of the world.
• EndNote – this online tool will find relevant sources, organize and store them. Even more so: it will create footnotes, endnotes, and reference pages that you can share with others. It will also send you suggestions of publications you might find relevant. Choose among free and paid versions.

9. 💻 Up with the Internet!

We all can admit that before the Internet era started, conducting research was an extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive task. People had to spend days, weeks, or even months in libraries and write everything down by hand.

Today, any user can become a pro researcher in almost no time. Sure, keep in mind you won’t achieve excellent results without a good plan, appropriate tools, and your dedication.

But you have all these, right?

With these simple and effective research tips, you can already step your research game up to the next level.

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10 Tips To Improve Your Online Research Skills

The world of the internet is gigantic. And we could easily lose direction if we don’t have the faintest idea about proper research skills and techniques. Around 1 trillion megabytes of data is produced on the internet every day. Hence, finding the data that ticks all your boxes require you to curate the data in a strategic way.

This article will walk you through the ten cardinal steps to improve how you utilize the internet for retrieving information. We are here to help enhance your research skills and ace in that research project you are working on!

Colleges arrange all sorts of writing seminar classes and workshops. However, the part where we teach real-life research skills to the freshers hardly ever happens. At best, students get a tour of the campus library with the librarian. However, the tour includes next to zero guidance on utilising the library resources with efficacy.

Considering the situation, students often rely on Wikipedia because it is quicker for a rundown of the information they need. However, learning research techniques can be good for your personal development. And college may not assist you in the process. So, you need to acquire the research skills and work on them by yourself.

Without further ado, let’s look at the ten techniques you can follow to become an expert in research.

1. Start Broad to Find a Specific Topic That Sticks

The first step in developing your research skills is to start big. Look into and read about the controversial issues around the world right now. If you are writing a paper for college, chances are your instructor already rolled out guidelines. Follow them for writing an appropriate paper.

If you do not adhere to the parameters, your instructor may not deem it as acceptable. For instance, you can’t write a paper on the origin of the Olympic Games in a STEM class. Hence, the topic has to be course-appropriate.

However, choosing the topic you want to work with will be solely your decision. The basic tip to selecting a topic is to choose something you are personally interested in. This will weaponise your motivation to deliver great content to your reader. Secondly, you will enjoy yourselves as you brush up on your research skills, learning more about the issue.

2. Do a Preliminary Search Online

Before you start writing, do a quick search on Google or Wikipedia. It will provide you with a brief idea about the work that has been previously done on the topic you want to work with. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can use Wikipedia or Google as reliable sources.

Use these tools to get an overview and a clearer understanding. Moreover, this is one of the vital research skills you can use to make sense of keywords. Using the appropriate keywords will help pose your arguments carefully. For instance, if you want to write a paper on the legalisation of marijuana, do not type that into the search engine. Instead, put the word marijuana and see what comes up.

Use broader keywords to get better results. Consequently, draw an outline of questions. And use those questions as keywords to look up online. It is one of the crucial tips for enhancing your research skills. Consequently, the more source of information you can have, the more original your paper will be.

We’ve all been through the struggle of finding valid information for our semester final analysis paper. You might be an excellent writer or drafter. But not having proper research skills can stop you from reaping the benefits of your gift.

You can take our internet research skills training course and learn how to find accurate information. The course will teach you to evaluate and validate the credibility of your source.

Internet Research Skills Training Finding the appropriate information from the internet is tough because of the widespread use of blogs and the effect of SEO and marketing. Enrol Now Internet Research Skills Training Finding the appropriate information from the internet is tough because of the widespread use of blogs and the effect of SEO and marketing. Enrol Now

3. Proper Use of Online Search Engine & Learning Tools

Using of online search engine more efficiently improves your research skills. So don’t spend all your time on Google, or just one search engine for that matter. First off, use your organisation’s online library resources. School libraries tend to have subscriptions to a plethora of academic databases.

Next, make yourself acquainted with Worldcat . It has over 2 billion bibliography items ready for you. Consequently, WorldCat is connected to library catalogues all over the world. You can use this feature to locate a particular journal, article, or book’s whereabouts. In short, WorldCat is the best friend every researcher wishes to have.

Consequently, you need to know how to experiment with keywords and filters. You might be knowledgeable about an ample amount of search engines. But having access to it won’t necessarily help.

It would help if you refined your online searches for better results. You can’t just type in a phrase and hit the search button because you will not find the data you want if you do that. This is where your expertise on keywords can help. Extract the essential words from your research questions. Moreover, use words synonymous with your keywords to generate better search results.

Using refined keywords and filters can help you dig deep into the subjects. As a result, you can find specific and useful information on your topic. Thus, keywords and filters are the ultimate search engine optimizing tools.

Advanced Keyword Research Course This course will give you a detailed guide on how to do keyword research. Enrol Now Advanced Keyword Research Course This course will give you a detailed guide on how to do keyword research. Enrol Now

4. Analyse the Credibility of Your Source

Anybody can publish their work or opinions on the internet. While you should not limit your research to a couple of articles, you should discern the source’s credibility. You can assess and analyse the credibility by always remaining vigilant.

Ask yourself questions like, does the source provide a similar view like other sources? Can the source give enough evidence to back up its claims? Does the source seem biased or have an ulterior motive? Does the author have sufficient expertise in their field? For instance, if an English major graduate starts conceptualising theories of quantum physics, steer clear right away.

For academic purposes, it is best to source information from academic journals and articles. However, books written on the broader aspect of your topic can be excellent sources too. Academic books have a lot to offer. Apart from the information, you can take up a tip or two about improving your research skills. 

Using newspapers and blogs as credible sources are frowned upon in academia. However, it won’t hurt you to read them. If anything, these would make you more knowledgeable because blogs and newspapers present you with more unprocessed and practical information in real-time.

5. Cross-Check Your Information

You now know where to and how to collect information from credible sources. Cross-checking the information you collected is integral in enhancing your research skills. As we’ve mentioned earlier, the internet is a big place. Anybody can publish their work without any factual checking.

Sometimes, the information from a source can be outright wrong. Hence, you must cross-check information with at least two other web pages. Remember the phrase that you don’t buy the first car you see? The rule applies to gathering information online as well. You should not get stuck on just one webpage. Stick to sources that have made their reputation providing quality information.

If you can’t verify the truth of the information to your satisfaction, better not to use it at all. Also, steer clear of social media for collecting data. It is a beehive full of misinformation.

6. Take Notes & Organise Your Information

The initial stage of honing your research skills can feel a lot like trudging through the mud. There are millions of data out there. Moreover, there could be thousands of previous research done on your topic. Needless to say, going through thousands of articles or journals is next to impossible.

However, you need to note down every useful information you can get from the source. This technique will help make your work more informative. Moreover, noting down the information will help you to be more organised. If you don’t take notes from the beginning, useful data might get neglected in the process.

Consequently, you might find yourself going through the same article multiple times to find a piece of information. This could make you feel lost and frustrated. Moreover, it takes away your precious time. While noting down the quotes and information, note down the page number and bibliography on the side. It saves you from fumbling away.

Consequently, make notes of your speeding thoughts in the notebook. Because chances are you won’t get the same idea twice. Make use of the bookmark tool. You can store the URLs in the bookmark in a separate folder. It will be easier for you to navigate. And later on, you could easily make a bibliography of all your references from the bookmark.

7. Cite Your Sources

You always need to give credit and cite your sources. Not citing your sources fall under the category of plagiarism. And it is a  severe violation of academic integrity. Hence, give credit where credit is due.

Moreover, citing your sources further increases your credibility.  In contrast, passing off someone else’s words as yours make your readers sceptic. Even if you plagiarise a single sentence, the whole point gets lost. No amount of research skills can help if you do not cite your sources. You can use any of the two popular citation formats; APA or MLA.

By citing your sources, you are also helping others brush up their research skills. As reading and collecting information from reliable sources is integral in developing your research skills. No matter how good your argumentative paper is, your instructor can take disciplinary actions if you fail to cite your sources. Because in academia, plagiarism is avoidable while dishonesty is deplorable!

8. Put Your Time Management Skills Into Use

As soon as you get a project on hand, make a research schedule. Create a few hours window in a day when you do nothing except work on your research project. This will let you block all the distractions and focus on the work at hand. In a sense, your time management skills can help you level up your research skills.

Proper research needs a systematic strategy. Not maintaining a timesheet can throw you off the schedule. You may feel like you are all over the place. Your progress may even seem cluttered. Map out how many minutes you will spend on each article. Moreover, you can make a routine of short breaks that you need to take in-between.

Choose a day in a week you feel more comfortable fiddling around in the library. It is better if you stop yourself from checking socials while working. Even just a little peek could throw you off the track. Because when you take an unscheduled break to check your emails, you have to reorient yourself when you come back. So, it is better to put your phone in do not disturb mode because it will help you keep focused.

9. Be Patient & Tackle Challenges

In the present world, we are used to getting things instantaneously. Do you want the latest iPhone? You pre-order it and receive it on the release day at once. Need a waffle machine?  Amazon Prime comes in with their same-day delivery policy.

However, the scholastic and research world is very different. In the sense that no one will serve you the data on a silver platter. You need to throw your hat into the ring and  get the job  done by yourself! And sometimes, searching through a pool of data and information can become very tedious.

You might even get frustrated if you do not find the answers you were looking for. And that is okay! However, you should not throw in the towel. Part of being a good researcher is about being patient and persistent. Some days, you might not find what you are looking for.

Regardless, you have to tackle all the challenges for finding the relevant information. Use sources that are even remotely related to what you are looking for. Sometimes, your job will be about drawing the faintest connection between a source and your topic. Moreover, you will need to comprehend and analyse the source for bringing attention to new ideas.

10. Be Ready For Unexpected Answers

Embracing uncertainty is what makes someone a good researcher with optimised research skills. Keep an open mind while you go into research for a topic. You might be presented with some very surprising answers. That is the thrilling part of your job.

Remember, mere looking for confirmation for what you already know is not a good practice. It makes your research scope too narrow and limiting. Moreover, there might not be enough information online on your research. Consequently, the sources may present arguments contradictory to your views. And you need to be okay with that!

Because you need answers to your research question, not reaffirm your belief, reformulating your opinions based on facts and evidence is a good practice. In addition, it adds to the effort of strengthening your research skills.

Research is not just about going through tons of articles or newspapers in a day. Online research skills are all about techniques. Believe it or not, your online research skills are not just for academia. These are transferable work skills. These 10-step research strategies are going to increase your productivity at the workplace, too.

For instance, you may need to research your competitor and develop a better marketing strategy. And to do that, you need to dig deeper and research what your consumers need. The process can be compared to a domino effect. It would help if you devised a proper game plan before diving into it.

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6 Internet Research Tips to Help You Find What You Need

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The internet has turned our phones and computers into pocket libraries. You no longer have to go to your nearby community resource center to find information. As long as you know how to use the internet, you can get what you need.

So if you're having difficulty finding the information you need, don't give up. You can find what you're looking for by using the following tips.

1. Be Google Smart

Before the advent of the internet and search engines, research had to be done manually and by hand. You had to go through stacks of index cards and be familiar with the library catalog system to find what you need. It was pretty difficult to search books by topic—you had to either know the title or the author to find the book.

Today, researching is a whole lot easier. All you need is to type down the keywords you're looking for on Google, and you'll get the most relevant results. However, what if you needed specific results?

This is where the Google search operator comes in. Whether you need to search for something published within a date range, on a website, or even reverse search an image, you can now do that by appending operators to your keywords.

That way, Google would know what to include and exclude in the results it'll show you.

Related: Google Search Tricks to Power Up Your Research

2. Start With Wikipedia

Most academic professors would say that Wikipedia isn't 100% reliable, so you shouldn't use it as your primary source. That's because the site is open-source—meaning anyone could change its contents as long as they make an account.

While Wikipedia does have developed systems to ensure they have accurate information, it still isn't accepted by most institutions. However, that doesn't mean Wikipedia is useless for your research.

After all, since the authors on the page must provide sources for whatever they say, you can click on the links they cite to see their sources for yourself. If you find these sources reliable, then you can use that source as your own.

Furthermore, you can read Wikipedia articles as a jumping-off point for your research. For example, if you're learning about the life of President Eisenhower, you can read the complete article and look at the key points in his life noted there. From there, you can use that as a basis to build your own research.

But remember, ensure that whatever you cite is from a reliable source and has other supporting documents to prove what you're saying.

3. Get In-Touch With the Author

If you're doing academic research, and you find that the rest of the information you need is behind a paywall, don't despair.

Instead of paying through the nose for access, you can instead find the email of the author of the paper and then email them some questions you might have.

Of course, don't email them out of the blue demanding answers. Instead, introduce yourself courteously, tell them what kind of research you're doing, and why you're contacting them.

If they respond, that's when you can inquire if you could ask them a couple of question. Should they respond positively, then that is when you can start asking.

If your conversation goes well enough, you might even be able to ask for a copy of their research paper. Furthermore, this is an excellent way to build your network and improve your credentials in your field of study.

4. Find the Source of Your Source

If you're looking through articles online, and you see them quoting someone with a link, you should go to the linked page. That way, you can exactly see what was said and even read the context on how it was delivered.

This is especially important if you're researching current events. That's because if a news outlet quotes something, they'll usually link it to a corresponding press release or social media post.

Related: Great Websites to Find Statistics

Just ensure that they're linking to a legitimate site or account so that you're 100% sure of the integrity of the information you're quoting.

5. Research on Social Media

As companies and chief executives expand their presence on social media, you can get a lot of substantiated information from there. As long as the announcement comes from the company's verified account, you can use that as a reliable source.

After all, big companies like Microsoft and Samsung use social media platforms like YouTube to make major announcements. Even Instagram uses Twitter to release important statements, like the company's direction for 2022.

You can also follow the chief executives of these companies for updates.

For example, Microsoft's VP and GM for Connected Home and Commercial Client Group announced that they're shipping the 12th-generation Intel mobile processors to laptop manufacturers on Twitter. You would have missed this important news if you weren't following him on social media.

6. Ask Yourself if It’s Reliable

This is the crucial question you have to ask yourself when you're gathering information—is the source you're quoting reliable? Do they have supporting documents to back up their claims? Are their results peer-reviewed and confirmed by other experts?

Since almost anyone can publish anything on the internet, you have to be extra careful about what you read on it. Back in the day, only news organizations and major institutions have access to widespread information dissemination.

That means whatever information they share, they have to vet it carefully so as not to destroy their reputation of trustworthiness.

But today, the widespread adoption of the internet means anyone can publish whatever they want. And if they know how to catch people's attention, they can gather enough popularity to make their claims look legitimate, even if they are not.

Related: The Best Open Access Journal Sites for Students

​​​​​​​That's why you have to be careful of these, especially if you're a researcher.

Information Is in Your Pocket

Just a decade ago, you needed a computer to execute a proper internet research. But today, you can do that from your smartphone or smart device wherever you are. As long as you're connected to the web, you can find information.

With Amazon Echo, Google Assistant, and Siri, you can even ask them questions directly, and they'll return with an answer. We no longer have a dearth of information—in fact, some might say we have too much of it.

​​​​​​​Your responsibility as a researcher is to use the tools we have to find great, accurate results.

• Browsing Tips

7 tips for effective research online

Wondering how to make the most of your research time and hit your deadlines? Check out our 7 top tips for effective research online

1. Have a question in mind

It might sound strange but the most effective way to research online is to know the answer you’re looking for. When any single search term can bring up millions of results, you’re guaranteed to find irrelevant content. Having a specific question and answer in mind helps you narrow it down and quickly get rid of the content that doesn’t matter. Write the question down (or use it as your Wakelet collection title) so that it acts as a constant reminder. And be ruthless; if an article, blog or video doesn’t answer that question, it shouldn’t be part of your research.

2. Keep to a schedule

Starting a big research project can be overwhelming. You’re faced with an endless number of potential sources and a looming deadline. One technique that I’ve also found helpful is to implement a research schedule. Take a step back and put a timeline in place. If your work is due in six weeks, for example, do you need to have a draft in five and an outline in four? Work backwards until you have a research period marked out. Then look at your diary – can you spend three hours in the library during free periods and block out a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon? When you have this dedicated research time in place, it’ll help you stay focused.

3. Organize, organize, organize

When you’re researching online, you’ll likely gather a lot of information, quickly. You need to be organized from the start, before you get buried in links! Luckily, Wakelet can help. Why not create a collect for each source type (articles, videos, blogs, for example) or break it down by topic? You can even use the Notes feature to remind yourself why you saved that source or which section of the article will be most useful when you revisit your research. And best of all, you’re not just left with a list of links – your bookmarks will be visual, engaging, and easily identifiable.

4. Follow where the research takes you

The most effective researchers don’t limit themselves. As long as you’re discerning with the sources you save, it’s worth taking a chance and following an unfamiliar lead. If a helpful article cites a paper by an academic you’ve not heard of or a speech you’ve never seen, add those to your research list. In the same way that you might investigate the bibliography of a textbook, the sources mentioned in online content can be just as useful, help to expand your research, and offer an alternative perspective to more familiar sources.

5. Gather info as you go

So, you have your timetable sorted and you’ve been setting aside dedicated research time but someone just tweeted an article that could be really relevant and you’re in the park eating lunch – what do you do? Thanks to Wakelet, you don’t have to wait ‘til you get home or like the Tweet but let it get lost in your timeline by the time you’re sitting down to research again. Instead, use the Wakelet app to quickly and easily add any piece of content into your collections. With the share extension, it only takes a couple of clicks and your content will be there, waiting for you, as soon as you’re back on your desktop at home.

6. Evaluate your sources

While you shouldn’t limit your research, you do need to be discerning when it comes to online sources. After all, almost anyone can get their work published online, whether they’re uploading their own videos to YouTube , writing on their own blog, or expressing themselves in 280 characters on Twitter . And it can be tough to tell fact from fiction. Be vigilant and assess every source – even the most credible – with a critical eye. Ask yourself, is the author writing from a particular perspective? Is their account backed up by other sources? Do they have an ulterior motive? Question yourself and your sources regularly.

7. Don’t limit what you look for

Talk about research and most people think about academic journals, articles written by professors, and official records. These are, of course, all important sources but, in the modern digital age, you shouldn’t discount other forms of media. YouTube is home to a host of documentary-standard videos, podcasts are often helmed by respected investigative journalists or leaders in their field, and historic minstrels can be found on Spotify. Enrich your research by making the most of these more unusual sources.

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Thinking Through Philosophy, Culture, and Psychology

A Guide to Using the Internet for Research

This is the second in a series on using the internet as a learning device. You can read part one here and part three here .

We are looking at the best practices for using the Internet for research. Think of the internet as a library; it houses information on every topic you can imagine. It can point you to the best resources on Earth for information or link you to an authority on whichever topics capture your imagination.

The Internet as a Library

This massive library, a place where “reading materials are systematically arranged,” represents the whole of human knowledge, and sits accessible day and night. It can jump-start your research, narrow down sources, challenge your ideas on your topic and questions, and yield a ton of information very easily. In the words of Noam Chomsky, it’s invaluable as a research tool.

However, because the Internet isn’t regulated, anyone can post anything, regardless of it’s accuracy. There is no committee tasked with making sure the internet is a safe and truthful place; we are truly still in the Wild West days of internet usage. You need to develop an incredibly skeptical approach to claims or ideas you discover, and a process to determine their accuracy, to see through bias – the author’s and your own – to separate fact from opinion.

A few questions to start with:

• Is the owner or author’s name and contact information available?
• What kind of sources do they use, and are their conclusions reasonable based on the information presented?
• What sort of proof or references do their posts offer?
• Do they link to research or original documents, to news releases or other blogs?
• Do they link to other pages or offer proof at all?

Then, a few tips to keep in mind while looking for information online:

Be cautious and find out information about the author and their background or qualifications, as well as look at the information they link to or reference in their work. Verify their claims and sources back to the original source or document. You want to be confident in the reliability of a writer’s work.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking breaking news is better. It takes time for details and facts to be validated and a clear picture to emerge. Often, informing yourself with older, established aspects of the subject will equip you to process the newer and more detailed articles and reading you do later.

It’s worth looking at whether the website is updated and links are not broken, so you’re aware that facts or research found there may be out of date. However, not every website needs to be recently written to be accurate, especially when dealing with older, historical figures and facts. I’ve found hobby websites and posts on explorers and other figures through history which were written years ago to be full of facts and quotes which didn’t make it into the summaries on the person. They were simply written in 2012, instead of this year. However, do rigorously check the claims and facts on these older posts and sites.

Keep in mind the role bias can play in writing and reading research. Bias leads us to only seek out news or facts which bolster our beliefs. When doing research, we want to find information which challenges those beliefs, to test them for accuracy.

Most importantly, search with the end in mind. Consider the purpose of your research, as this will dictate the nature of sources to look for. If you’re doing research to come up with ideas, perhaps reading through blogs and websites will supply creative ideas. If you are writing for an academic audience, scholarly articles and peer-reviewed sources would provide a firm foundation for your paper. If you want to know the latest discoveries in current research on a specific topic, news releases and publications will likely point you in the right direction. Sources become more or less convincing depending on your goals.

As I’ve shared in a couple editions of Five for Friday, Wikipedia has significantly improved its quality and the veracity of its sources since its beginnings in 2001. Once a joke among students, and blacklisted by instructors, the “free encyclopedia” has all but reinvented itself. Now, its summaries often inform the search results in the sidebars of internet browsers, and more likely than not, the top search results lead to Wikipedia.

Where once Wikipedia pages were primarily opinion and often false or misleading, now entries are vetted and continually improved. Behind the webpages, a team of over 130,000 monthly editors work to clean up grammar, flag when a source needs to be cited, and discuss the intricacies of perceived bias and opinion.

This increase in standards has positioned Wikipedia to become a serious rival to other databases, like the Encyclopedia Britannica website. Where the Encyclopedia Britannica articles have historically been written by celebrated academics or leaders in their fields, including Nobel laureates and former presidents, Wikipedia allows anyone to edit and contribute. This has been the source of much hesitancy, and in part, contributed to the ribbing visited upon anyone seriously citing Wikipedia in conversation. If anyone can write what they want, how can anything be trusted?

The website requires rigorous validation and quality sources to be cited. There are discussions about bias, opinion, and diversity of experience. This also allows for more people, more debate, and ultimately more consensus on a topic. Britannica have paid their contributors, attracting talent, but therein limiting the number of participants and entries. Wikipedia, with their millions of registered volunteers, attracts writers and researchers because they care about the topic at hand. Perhaps this passion for knowledge is what has allowed Wikipedia to succeed.

Wikipedia is also the more extensive source to start with when researching living people. Wikipedia has made this their calling card, over the years, with updates happening seemingly instantaneously. The Wikipedia article on Elon Musk, for instance, currently sits at over 11,000 words, while the Britannica listing is just over 900 words, though, to be fair they do link to related articles about his businesses.

I’ve found the single most useful feature of Wikipedia to be the “Further Reading” section at the bottom of most entries. This lists books, videos, articles, and other vetted sources on the topic, often from which the entry has been compiled. After familiarizing myself with a summary of the person or idea, I click on this section. It is a wealth of information, listing out biographies, documents available online, and other quality source material which you can then explore and learn from yourself. For example, in my recent research on Marshall McLuhan, I discovered that his family maintains an extensive website with quotes, notable appearances or references to his work, and a full biography and bibliography. I was able to find several quality books and webpages from the single Further Reading one section on McLuhan’s Wikipedia page .

Other Websites

For any topic you can list, there is a blog about it. Blogs and other personal websites can also be very helpful, particularly when they list or link to their source material. Not all websites link to source material; many simply quote other stories without bothering to verify any further. When you are looking for accurate information, you’ll need to take on this work yourself, finding the actual book, study, or interview to which the article is referring. Don’t be content with the fact that everyone else seems to think it’s legitimate; do the work to know for certain that the information is valid.

Encyclopedia Britainnica is a great resource for historical research in particular. The Encyclopedia website is written by professionals, which adds a bit of weight to their articles. Those former Presidents and globally respected leaders write extensively about their interest and sources, which provides the reader with a long list of references to explore.

Scholarly sources are also a great place to gather information. Depending on your topic and the purpose of your research, you may want to focus primarily on these sources. Google Scholar searches through academic articles. The drawback here is that Google searches the entire document, rather than only the abstracts, which may or may not be available to you to view online. You may also need to pay to access the research returned in a search. Many of these studies are rather pricey, averaging $25 for a copy of a single study. If you are a student, most likely your institution has access to many of these databases already. Otherwise, I would recommend going through your public library, and asking which databases they have access to. In either case, ask your librarian and they’ll know how to help you gain access. Google Scholar allows you to refine with Boolean terms, or within a certain time range. This is great for when you are looking for particularly newer research. Their search results also show how many times a particular study has been referenced, and include links to other articles which cite the original study. This is a great place to discover studies on related topics.

JSTOR is an academic library, which hosts books, journals, and other scholarly material. Their search system is more similar to a database search. You can use quotations to search for exact phrases, which will help return more exact results.

For philosophy, and many psychology theories and figures, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is an amazing source of scholarly essays on nearly every topic imaginable. They have biographies, thorough examinations of theories and implications of philosophical ideas, and helpful summaries of every major school of philosophy and philosopher.

Other resources to look at are the websites of the Library of Congress and National Archives. Many philosophers, authors, and historical figures have inspired dedicated websites, or even societies, which can also be rich sources of information.

Online courses and podcasts are also great options for learning and finding interesting ideas; they are just more likely take more time. If you want to take a deep dive into a particular topic or find more sources, you could look into a course. I don’t usually use these sources, though, unless I have weeks to devote to the topic.

A more recent discovery for me is lectures on YouTube. The platform has information on just about any topic you could imagine; there are lectures from JRR Tolkien on his Middle Earth epics; obscure history videos sharing lesser known details about historical events; you can hear lectures given by modern thinkers. There are also videos on art history, famous speeches, and any hobby you can think of. Rather than being a platform where we waste time, YouTube can actually be a great source of learning material and research. Recently, I’ve listened to several lectures and debates from Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian philosopher and professor in the 1960s and 70s. His work dealt with the impact of information and media on society and many of his lectures and interviews on YouTube, aren’t available in text or other mediums.

When you look for a video, you’ll want to be specific in your search terms, and look for videos from universities, legitimate organizations, or the estate of author’s (as in the case of Tolkien or McLuhan, for example). You’ll probably also want find a video around twenty minutes; long enough to cover an overview, but not so short you don’t gain any context or information. A great video will also list sources or further study suggestions in the video description for you to continue your research.

Discovering Books

The internet is also unparalleled in discovering books, particularly those which are obscure or older. Books are amazing for research because of the amount of concentrated information they contain. The underrated index and reference sections are gold-mines for finding more books on your topic of interest. Read the index and reference sections of books you enjoyed, or on topics you want to explore more. Go through the bibliography and write down the titles of a couple books to look up and read.

A habit I am working to develop is looking through the reference section of books as I finish them, and choosing at least one title to read next. Every book is written from an amalgamation of the author’s references and experiences, often in the form of dozens of books. While each and every title of inspiration may not be listed, the author will take great care to acknowledge the sources of the material which directly made it into the book. Every piece of writing is the result of cutting out and removing other ideas, references, and information – some of which will interest you. By continuing your reading in related books, you are building a more complete understanding of the topic at hand and how it fits into the larger context of society.

So far as choosing books, I first tend to look at how many times a title is referenced. After getting titles from the bibliography of a book, I’ll usually do an internet search on the topic, then go to Wikipedia to see the references and further reading recommendations.

If the same author’s name keeps popping up, that should indicate to you that their text is widely read and accepted. If Wikipedia lists a title, and that same title has been referenced in a book I’ve read, I usually go to Amazon to look it up. On Amazon, I first look for reported issues concerning the quality of certain editions. I’ll also look to see whether the work has mixed reviews. I’m not looking for high reviews so much as discussion or differing opinions. I tend to gravitate toward ideas with are older and maybe discussed a bit less, in order to widen my perspective on a topic. Reading through the reviews can usually give you an idea of whether their ideas are popular today or not.

There are of course many out of print books and primary sources which exist only in analog form. The internet, particularly Google Scholar, can help to narrow down the topics and ideas presented in these older books.

Round ups of books on specific topics can also be very helpful. Take a general topic, such as “media history” and do an internet search for the best books on media history. From there you can refine, perhaps you want to look closer at yellow journalism and muckraking in the early 20th century. Perhpas you are more interested in the digital revolution’s effects on journalism. Start out general, then use authors names and more specific topics to whittle down the results until you are left with a manageable number of sources.

Get Specific

The internet is the greatest resource mankind’s knowledge has produced. With a simple internet search, you have access to the wisdom of history – from Plato’s cave allegory, detailed and put into striking video – to NASA’s documentation of 1969’s mission to the moon and everything in between. There is no single resource as detailed, and capable of high quality as the internet. However, mixed in with these extraordinary creations and accounts of genius, there are a lot of duds; a lot of mediocre information exists.

No matter how specific your topic is, there are thousands of resources available. The internet is simply too large to function well under general terms. In order to find high quality information, we need to get specific. The internet rewards specific interests.

Putting It Together

While all of these resources are great starting places, they are only that – a place to start. Developing a deep understanding of a subject requires effort and quality material. Note the ideas and titles in your commonplace book, along with your takeaways. When you come across a name or new term, do an internet search and go to the Wikipedia page. Read the summary at the top, and jump to what stands out or lines up with your original reason for the search. Allow your curiosity to lead you to surprising places, and always verify that your sources are reliable. Keep in mind the purpose of your research, whether for deeper personal understanding, an academic presentation, or to familiarize yourself with new ideas. Take your responsibility toward your education seriously, and keep asking questions.

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Expert Commentary

Research strategy guide for finding quality, credible sources

Strategies for finding academic studies and other information you need to give your stories authority and depth

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

by Keely Wilczek, The Journalist's Resource May 20, 2011

This <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org/home/research-strategy-guide/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org">The Journalist's Resource</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-jr-favicon-150x150.png" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;">

Knowing how to conduct deeper research efficiently and effectively is a critical skill for journalists — especially in the information age. It is, like other facets of the profession such as interviewing, a matter of practice and establishing good habits. And once you find a successful routine for information-gathering, it will pay dividends time and again.

Journalists need to be able to do many kinds of research. This article focuses on creating a research strategy that will help you find academic studies and related scholarly information. These sources can, among other things, give your stories extra authority and depth — and thereby distinguish your work. You can see examples of such studies — and find many relevant ones for your stories — by searching the Journalist’s Resource database . But that is just a representative sample of what exists in the research world.

The first step is to create a plan for seeking the information you need. This requires you to take time initially and to proceed with care, but it will ultimately pay off in better results. The research strategy covered in this article involves the following steps:

Get organized

Articulate your topic, locate background information.

• Identify your information needs

List keywords and concepts for search engines and databases

Consider the scope of your topic, conduct your searches, evaluate the information sources you found, analyze and adjust your research strategy.

Being organized is an essential part of effective research strategy. You should create a record of your strategy and your searches. This will prevent you from repeating searches in the same resources and from continuing to use ineffective terms. It will also help you assess the success or failure of your research strategy as you go through the process. You also may want to consider tracking and organizing citations and links in bibliographic software such as Zotero . (See this helpful resource guide about using Zotero.)

Next, write out your topic in a clear and concise manner. Good research starts with a specific focus.

For example, let’s say you are writing a story about the long-range health effects of the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant based on a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives titled, “The Chernobyl Accident 20 Years On: An Assessment of the Health Consequences and the International Response.” (The study is summarized in Journalist’s Resource here .)

A statement of your topic might be, “Twenty years after the Chernobyl disaster, scientists are still learning the affects of the accident on the health of those who lived in the surrounding area and their descendants.”

If you have a good understanding of the Chernobyl disaster, proceed to the next step, “Identify the information you need.” If not, it’s time to gather background information. This will supply you with the whos and the whens of the topic. It will also provide you with a broader context as well as the important terminology.

Excellent sources of background information are subject-specific encyclopedias and dictionaries, books, and scholarly articles, and organizations’ websites. You should always consult more than one source so you can compare for accuracy and bias.

For your story about Chernobyl, you might want to consult some of the following sources:

• Frequently Asked Chernobyl Questions , International Atomic Agency
• Chernobyl Accident 1986 , World Nuclear Association
• Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment , New York Academy of Sciences, 2009.
• “Chernobyl Disaster,” Encyclopedia Britannica, last updated 2013.

Identify the information you need

What information do you need to write your story? One way to determine this is to turn your overall topic into a list of questions to be answered. This will help you identify the type and level of information you need. Some possible questions on consequences of the Chernobyl accident are:

• What are the proven health effects?
• What are some theorized health effects?
• Is there controversy about any of these studies?
• What geographic area is being studied?
• What are the demographic characteristics of the population being studied?
• Was there anything that could have been done at the time to mitigate these effects?

Looking at these questions, it appears that scientific studies and scholarly articles about those studies, demographic data, disaster response analysis, and government documents and publications from the Soviet Union and Ukraine would be needed.

Now you need to determine what words you will use to enter in the search boxes within resources. One way to begin is to extract the most important words and phrases from the questions produced in the previous step. Next, think about alternative words and phrases that you might use. Always keep in mind that different people may write or talk about the same topic in different ways. Important concepts can referred to differently or be spelled differently depending on country of origin or field of study.

For the Chernobyl health story, some search keyword options are: “Chernobyl,” “Chornobyl”; “disaster,” “catastrophe,” “explosion”; “health,” “disease,” “illness,” “medical conditions”; “genetic mutation,” “gene mutation,” “germ-line mutation,” “hereditary disease.” Used in different combinations, these can unearth a wide variety of resources.

Next you should identify the scope of your topic and any limitations it puts on your searches. Some examples of limitations are language, publication date, and publication type. Every database and search engine will have its own rules so you may need to click on an advanced search option in order to input these limitations.

It is finally time to start looking for information but identifying which resources to use is not always easy to do. First, if you are part of an organization, find out what, if any, resources you have access to through a subscription. Examples of subscription resources are LexisNexis and JSTOR. If your organization does not provide subscription resources, find out if you can get access to these sources through your local library. Should you not have access to any subscription resources appropriate for your topic, look at some of the many useful free resources on the internet.

Here are some examples of sources for free information:

• PLoS , Public Library of Science
• Google Scholar
• SSRN , Social Science Research Network
• FDsys , U.S. Government documents and publications
• World Development Indicators , World Bank
• Pubmed , service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine

More quality sites, and search tips, are here among the other research articles at Journalist’s Resource.

As you only want information from the most reliable and suitable sources, you should always evaluate your results. In doing this, you can apply journalism’s Five W’s (and One H):

• Who : Who is the author and what are his/her credentials in this topic?
• What: Is the material primary or secondary in nature?
• Where: Is the publisher or organization behind the source considered reputable? Does the website appear legitimate?
• When: Is the source current or does it cover the right time period for your topic?
• Why: Is the opinion or bias of the author apparent and can it be taken into account?
• How: Is the source written at the right level for your needs? Is the research well-documented?

Were you able to locate the information you needed? If not, now it is time to analyze why that happened. Perhaps there are better resources or different keywords and concepts you could have tried. Additional background information might supply you with other terminology to use. It is also possible that the information you need is just not available in the way you need it and it may be necessary to consult others for assistance like an expert in the topic or a professional librarian.

Keely Wilczek is a research librarian at the Harvard Kennedy School. Tags: training

About The Author

Keely Wilczek

Conducting Internet Research

Considerations for participant protections when conducting internet research.

If an activity falls under the category of human subjects research, it is regulated by the federal government and Teachers College (TC) Institutional Review Board (IRB). TC IRB has provided a guide to help researchers determine if their activities can be considered human subjects research.

Internet research is a common practice of using Internet information, especially free information on the World Wide Web or Internet-based resources (e.g., discussion forums, social media), in research. This guide will cover considerations pertaining to participant protections when conducting Internet research, including:

• Private versus public spaces for exempt research
• Identifiable data available in public databases
• Minimizing risks when using sensitive Internet data
• Common Internet research approaches

The following information is from an NIH videocast . ( Odwanzy, L. (2014, May 8). Conducting Internet Research: Challenges and Strategies for IRBs [Video]. VideoCast NIH. https://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?Live=13932&bhcp=1 )  

Private Versus Public Spaces for Exempt Research

Federal regulations define a category of human subjects research that is exempt from IRB review as:  

“ Research that only includes interactions involving educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures, or observation of public behavior (including visual or auditory recording) .” 

With regards to online information, if the data is publicly available (such as Census data or labor statistics), it is usually not considered human subjects research. However, if the data includes identifiable information—meaning the data can be linked back to a specific individual—then it may need to undergo IRB review. Additionally, de-identified data pulled from a private source, such as data provided by a company, may also be considered human subjects research.

Public behavior is any behavior that a subject would or could perform in public without special devices or interventions. Public behavior on the Internet, however, is more difficult to pinpoint. Federal regulations indicate that an environment may be private if a reasonable user would consider their interactions in that environment to be private. To help identify public behavior on the Internet, consider:

• Typically, posts on a private or password-protected social media profile or site are not considered public behavior.
• Even if a website is publicly available, the information on the website may be protected by other measures (e.g., community guidelines, terms of use, etc.).
• Sites that require users to pay for access to their content (e.g., purchasing a dataset) are not always considered private, even if the information is behind a paywall.
• Discussions and chats on public forums, news broadcasts, and free podcasts or videos are typically considered public communications. 
• Emails and person-to-person chat messages are often private, rather than public, communications.
• However, institutions may dictate that any activity on their devices (e.g., a company laptop or phone) is subject to review. In these cases, the institutions can limit an individual’s privacy.
• Some websites explicitly state that the interactions on their site are not to be used for research purposes.
• Other sites may not explicitly refuse research activities, but they may require users to be respectful of others’ experiences. Depending on the website, “respect” may have a variety of meanings, including respect of user privacy.
• Expectations of privacy may not always equate to the reality of privacy. 
• For example, individuals may share personal information on an open forum because there is an expectation within the community that other users will respect their privacy. However, the community guidelines may not explicitly state that their website is private.
• Forums and websites directed towards youth may require extra precautions, as the youth may be on the website with or without their guardian’s permission.
• If a user shares media on a private profile, but then that media becomes publicly available through re-posts, the media should still be considered private. It is likely that a reasonable user would expect shares on private profiles to remain private. 
• A site may only be open to certain types of users based on demographics or life experiences (e.g., cancer survivors, support groups for addiction, etc.). In these cases, a reasonable user may expect greater privacy based on the types of users they expect to interact with.

TC IRB will determine whether an Internet environment is private or public based on the IRB protocol submission.

Identifiable Data in Public Datasets

Identifiable data is information or records about a research participant that allows others to identify that person. Names, social security numbers, and bank account numbers are considered personal identifiers  and are protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). TC IRB has a blog posted on Understanding Identifiable Data that further explains the different types of identifiers. Data that includes personal identifiers does not fall under the Exempt category.  

Other types of participant information may include indirect identifiers , such as birthdate, age, ethnicity, gender, etc. Taken alone, these pieces of information are not enough to identify any single participant. However, researchers have shown that certain combinations of these identifiers may identify participants. For example, Sweeny (2000) demonstrated that 87% of the United States population could be uniquely identified based solely on their ZIP code, gender, and date of birth.

It is important to remember that while data may be publicly available, it may still contain identifiable information. In these cases, the IRB will decide the risk to participants on a case-by-case basis. With Internet information, consider these to be possible identifiers:  

Users may include their partial or full name in a username. When collecting usernames from a site, researchers should consider replacing usernames with pseudonyms.

IP addresses are unique identifiers for devices. Researchers should be wary of pairing IP addresses with other information.

Purchase Habits

With the surge in online shopping, individuals’ unique online purchase habits are shown to be possible identifiers. 

Digital Images, Audio, & Video

Photos, audio recordings, or videos of an individual are typically considered identifiable, unless the images or audio are ascertained in a way that protects the subject’s identity.

Avatars or Profile Pictures

Although avatars and profile pictures may not include real photos of the user, it is possible that they were chosen because of a resemblance to the user.

Keystroke Dynamics or Typing Biometrics

The detailed information of an individual’s timing and rhythm when typing on a keyboard is a unique identifier. "Keystroke rhythm" measures when each key is pressed and released while a user is typing. These rhythm combinations are as unique to an individual as a fingerprint or a signature.

Minimizing Risk When Using Sensitive Internet Data 

In cases where sensitive Internet data must be used for research purposes, researchers should take precautions to ensure the safety and privacy of participants. The nature of online research increases risk to participants in some areas. Researchers should develop a plan to minimize risk in the following areas:

• Reduced Participant Contact : when research is conducted over the Internet, researchers have limited or no direct contact with subjects. This makes it more difficult for researchers to gauge subjects' reactions to the study interventions. 
• Researchers should think through multiple possibilities for interventions, debriefing, and follow-up, if applicable.
• Researcher and TC IRB contact information should be presented on the informed consent before beginning the study. This will ensure that participants know whom to contact if they have questions or concerns.
• Breach of Confidentiality: when storing or collecting data on devices connected to the Internet, there is a heightened risk for identifiable participant data to be leaked. 
• TC IRB has published a Data Security Plan  outlining best practices for securing and transmitting data. Researchers should implement these practices as they apply to their specific study.
• In the case of a breach of confidentiality, researchers must file an adverse event with TC IRB.  

Common Internet Research Approaches

The Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections (SACHRP) has provided examples of common Internet research practices. These include elements of research conducted over the Internet. Below are possible examples of Internet research where human subjects may be involved:  

• Existing datasets (secondary data analysis)
• Social media/blog posts
• Chat room interactions  
• Amazon Mechanical Turk
• Social media
• Patterns on social media or websites
• Evolution of privacy issues
• Spread of false information
• Online shopping patterns and personalized digital marketing
• Online interventions such as “nudging"

Increased Internet use for research requires researchers and IRBs to become familiar with Internet research-related topics and concerns. Research submitted to the IRB will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The Institutional Review Board at Teachers College will make the final determination of whether a study requires review. Researchers should email  [email protected] if they have any questions or concerns about their study design and whether it should be IRB reviewed.

Institutional Review Board

Address: Russell Hall, Room 13

* Phone: 212-678-4105 * Email:   [email protected]

Appointments are available by request . Make sure to have your IRB protocol number (e.g., 19-011) available.  If you are unable to access any of the downloadable resources, please contact  OASID via email [email protected] .

How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: Get Started

• Get Started
• 1a. Select a Topic
• 1b. Develop Research Questions
• 1c. Identify Keywords
• 1d. Find Background Information
• 1e. Refine a Topic
• 2a. Search Strategies
• 2d. Articles
• 2e. Videos & Images
• 2f. Databases
• 2g. Websites
• 2h. Grey Literature
• 2i. Open Access Materials
• 3a. Evaluate Sources
• 3b. Primary vs. Secondary
• 3c. Types of Periodicals
• 4a. Take Notes
• 4b. Outline the Paper
• 4c. Incorporate Source Material
• 5a. Avoid Plagiarism
• 5b. Zotero & MyBib
• 5c. MLA Formatting
• 5d. MLA Citation Examples
• 5e. APA Formatting
• 5f. APA Citation Examples
• 5g. Annotated Bibliographies

Related Guides

• Elmira College Writing Center Get one-on-one assistance for all types of writing.

Recommended Websites

• Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Research Process Overview

Step 1.  Develop a topic Select a Topic | Develop Research Questions | Identify Keywords | Find Background Information | Refine a Topic

Step 2. Locate information Search Strategies | Books | eBooks | Articles  | Videos & Images | Databases | Websites | Grey Literature

Step 3. Evaluate and analyze information Evaluate Sources | Primary vs Secondary | Types of Periodicals

Step 4. Write, organize, and communicate information Take Notes | Outline the Paper | Incorporate Source Material

Step 5. Cite sources Avoid Plagiarism | Zotero & MyBib | MLA | APA | Chicago Style | Annotated Bibliographies

For research help,  use one of the following options:

Ask the GTL

• Next: Step 1: Develop a Topic >>
• Last Updated: Aug 13, 2024 3:10 PM
• URL: https://libguides.elmira.edu/research

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I want to learn how to do online research effectively on any topic or subject.

I want to learn how to get the most credible sources for things I search on the web, meanwhile avoiding ads, clickbaits sponsoring and bs (oh and there's a lot of bs out there) From searches like "most sold cereals in the us" to "positive and negative effects of testosterone injections" (that are NOT biased or sponsored, trying to sell you a product). I've noticed that most of the videos on youtube are actually sponsoring products or services instead of actual objective information.

Addon question, how can I improve my google searches overall in terms of keywords, sentence construction, so I get the best results instead of entertaining pages on the same topic..

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• Research Skills

How to Teach Online Research Skills to Students in 5 Steps (Free Posters)

Please note, this post was updated in 2020 and I no longer update this website.

How often does this scenario play out in your classroom?

You want your students to go online and do some research for some sort of project, essay, story or presentation. Time ticks away, students are busy searching and clicking, but are they finding the useful and accurate information they need for their project?

We’re very fortunate that many classrooms are now well equipped with devices and the internet, so accessing the wealth of information online should be easier than ever, however, there are many obstacles.

Students (and teachers) need to navigate:

• What search terms to put into Google or other search engines
• What search results to click on and read through (while avoiding inappropriate or irrelevant sites or advertisements)
• How to determine what information is credible, relevant and student friendly 
• How to process, synthesize, evaluate , and present the information
• How to compare a range of sources to evaluate their reliability and relevancy
• How to cite sources correctly

Phew! No wonder things often don’t turn out as expected when you tell your students to just “google” their topic. On top of these difficulties some students face other obstacles including: low literacy skills, limited internet access, language barriers, learning difficulties and disabilities.

All of the skills involved in online research can be said to come under the term of information literacy, which tends to fall under a broader umbrella term of digital literacy.

Being literate in this way is an essential life skill.

This post offers tips and suggestions on how to approach this big topic. You’ll learn a 5 step method to break down the research process into manageable chunks in the classroom. Scroll down to find a handy poster for your classroom too.

How to Teach Information Literacy and Online Research Skills

The topic of researching and filtering information can be broken down in so many ways but I believe the best approach involves:

• Starting young and building on skills
• Embedding explicit teaching and mini-lessons regularly (check out my 50 mini-lesson ideas here !)
• Providing lots of opportunity for practice and feedback
• Teachers seeking to improve their own skills — these free courses from Google might help
• Working with your librarian if you have one

💡 While teaching research skills is something that should be worked on throughout the year, I also like the idea of starting the year off strongly with a “Research Day” which is something 7th grade teacher Dan Gallagher wrote about . Dan and his colleagues had their students spend a day rotating around different activities to learn more about researching online. Something to think about!

Google or a Kid-friendly Search Engine?

If you teach young students you might be wondering what the best starting place is.

I’ve only ever used Google with students but I know many teachers like to start with search engines designed for children. If you’ve tried these search engines, I’d love you to add your thoughts in a comment.

💡 If you’re not using a kid-friendly search engine, definitely make sure SafeSearch is activated on Google or Bing. It’s not foolproof but it helps.

Two search engines designed for children that look particularly useful include:

These sites are powered by Google SafeSearch with some extra filtering/moderating.

KidzSearch contains additional features like videos and image sections to browse. While not necessarily a bad thing, I prefer the simple interface of Kiddle for beginners.

Read more about child-friendly search engines

This article from Naked Security provides a helpful overview of using child-friendly search engines like Kiddle.

To summarise their findings, search-engines like Kiddle can be useful but are not perfect.

For younger children who need to be online but are far too young to be left to their own devices, and for parents and educators that want little ones to easily avoid age-inappropriate content, these search engines are quite a handy tool. For older children, however, the results in these search engines may be too restrictive to be useful, and will likely only frustrate children to use other means.

Remember, these sorts of tools are not a replacement for education and supervision.

Maybe start with no search engine?

Another possible starting point for researching with young students is avoiding a search engine altogether.

Students could head straight to a site they’ve used before (or choose from a small number of teacher suggested sites). There’s a lot to be learned just from finding, filtering, and using information found on various websites.

Five Steps to Teaching Students How to Research Online and Filter Information

This five-step model might be a useful starting point for your students to consider every time they embark on some research.

Let’s break down each step. You can find a summary poster at the end.

Students first need to take a moment to consider what information they’re actually looking for in their searches.

It can be a worthwhile exercise to add this extra step in between giving a student a task (or choice of tasks) and sending them off to research.

You could have a class discussion or small group conferences on brainstorming keywords , considering synonyms or alternative phrases , generating questions etc. Mindmapping might help too.

2016 research by Morrison showed that 80% of students rarely or never made a list of possible search words. This may be a fairly easy habit to start with.

Time spent defining the task can lead to a more effective and streamlined research process.

It sounds simple but students need to know that the quality of the search terms they put in the Google search box will determine the quality of their results.

There are a LOT of tips and tricks for Googling but I think it’s best to have students first master the basics of doing a proper Google search.

I recommend consolidating these basics:

• Type in some simple search terms using only the important keywords
• If the initial results aren’t what you want, alter the search terms and get more specific  (get clues from the initial search results e.g. you might see synonyms that would work or get ideas from the “People Also Ask” section)
• Use quotation marks if you want your keywords in an exact order, e.g. “raining cats and dogs”
• use your best guess with spelling (Google will often understand)
• don’t worry about punctuation
• understand that everyone’s results will be different , even if they use the same search terms (depending on browser history, location etc.)

📌 Get a free PDF of this poster here. 

Links to learn more about Google searches

There’s lots you can learn about Google searches.

I highly recommend you take a look at  20 Instant Google Searches your Students Need to Know by Eric Curts to learn about “instant searches”.

Med Kharbach has also shared a simple visual with 12 search tips which would be really handy once students master the basics too.

The Google Search Education website is an amazing resource with lessons for beginner/intermediate/advanced plus slideshows and videos. It’s also home to the  A Google A Day classroom challenges. The questions help older students learn about choosing keywords, deconstructing questions, and altering keywords.

Useful videos about Google searches

How search works.

This easy to understand video  from Code.org to explains more about how search works.

How Does Google Know Everything About Me?

You might like to share this video with older students that explains how Google knows what you’re typing or thinking. Despite this algorithm, Google can’t necessarily know what you’re looking for if you’re not clear with your search terms.

What about when the answer comes up in Google instantly?

If you’ve been using Google for a while, you know they are tweaking the search formula so that more and more, an answer will show up within the Google search result itself. You won’t even need to click through to any websites.

For example, here I’ve asked when the Titanic sunk. I don’t need to go to any websites to find out. The answer is right there in front of me.

While instant searches and featured snippets are great and mean you can “get an answer” without leaving Google, students often don’t have the background knowledge to know if a result is incorrect or not. So double checking is always a good idea.

As students get older, they’ll be able to know when they can trust an answer and when double checking is needed.

Type in a subject like cats and you’ll be presented with information about the animals, sports teams, the musical along with a lot of advertising. There are a lot of topics where some background knowledge helps. And that can only be developed with time and age.

Entering quality search terms is one thing but knowing what to click on is another.

You might like to encourage students to look beyond the first few results. Let students know that Google’s PageRank algorithm is complex (as per the video above), and many websites use Search Engine Optimisation to improve the visibility of their pages in search results. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the most useful or relevant sites for you.

As pointed out in this article by Scientific American ,

Skilled searchers know that the ranking of results from a search engine is not a statement about objective truth, but about the best matching of the search query, term frequency, and the connectedness of web pages. Whether or not those results answer the searchers’ questions is still up for them to determine.

Point out the anatomy of a Google search result and ensure students know what all the components mean. This could be as part of a whole class discussion, or students could create their own annotations.

An important habit to get into is looking at the green URL and specifically the domain . Use some intuition to decide whether it seems reliable. Does the URL look like a well-known site? Is it a forum or opinion site? Is it an educational or government institution? Domains that include .gov or .edu might be more reliable sources.

When looking through possible results, you may want to teach students to open sites in new tabs, leaving their search results in a tab for easy access later (e.g. right-click on the title and click “Open link in new tab” or press Control/Command and click the link).

Searchers are often not skilled at identifying advertising within search results. A famous 2016 Stanford University study revealed that 82% of middle-schoolers couldn’t distinguish between an ad labelled “sponsored content” and a real news story.

Time spent identifying advertising within search results could help students become much more savvy searchers. Looking for the words “ad” and “sponsored” is a great place to start.

4) Evaluate

Once you click on a link and land on a site, how do you know if it offers the information you need?

Students need to know how to search for the specific information they’re after on a website. Teach students how to look for the search box on a webpage or use Control F (Command F on Mac) to bring up a search box that can scan the page.

Ensure students understand that you cannot believe everything you read . This might involve checking multiple sources. You might set up class guidelines that ask students to cross check their information on two or three different sites before assuming it’s accurate.

I’ve written a post all about teaching students how to evaluate websites . It includes this flowchart which you’re welcome to download and use in your classroom.

So your students navigated the obstacles of searching and finding information on quality websites. They’ve found what they need! Hooray.

Many students will instinctively want to copy and paste the information they find for their own work.

We need to inform students about plagiarism  and copyright infringement while giving them the skills they need to avoid this.

• Students need to know that plagiarism is taking someone’s work and presenting it as your own. You could have a class discussion about the ethics and legalities of this.
• Students also need to be assured that they can use information from other sources and they should. They just need to say who wrote it, where it was from and so on.

All students can benefit from learning about plagiarism, copyright, how to write information in their own words, and how to acknowledge the source. However, the formality of this process will depend on your students’ age and your curriculum guidelines.

Give students lots of practice writing information in their own words. Younger students can benefit from simply putting stories or recounts in their own words. Older students could investigate the difference between paraphrasing and summarising .

There are some free online tools that summarise information for you. These aren’t perfect and aren’t a replacement from learning the skill but they could be handy for students to try out and evaluate. For example, students could try writing their own summary and then comparing it to a computer summary. I like the tool SMMRY as you can enter text or a URL of an article. Eric Curts shares a list of 7 summary tools in this blog post .

Students also need a lot of practice using quotation marks and citing sources .

The internet can offer a confusing web of information at times. Students need to be shown how to look for the primary source of information. For example, if they find information on Wikipedia, they need to cite from the bibliography at the bottom of the Wikipedia article, not Wikipedia itself.

There are many ways you can teach citation:

• I like Kathy Schrock’s PDF document which demonstrates how you can progressively teach citation from grades 1 to 6 (and beyond). It gives some clear examples that you could adapt for your own classroom use.

Staying organised!

You might also like to set up a system for students to organise their information while they’re searching. There are many apps and online tools to curate, annotate, and bookmark information, however, you could just set up a simple system like a Google Doc or Spreadsheet.

The format and function is simple and clear. This means students don’t have to put much thought into using and designing their collections. Instead, they can focus on the important curation process.

Bring These Ideas to Life With Mini-Lessons!

We know how important it is for students to have solid research skills. But how can you fit teaching research skills into a jam-packed curriculum? The answer may be … mini-lessons !

Whether you teach primary or secondary students, I’ve compiled 50 ideas for mini-lessons.

Try one a day or one a week and by the end of the school year, you might just be amazed at how independent your students are becoming with researching.

Become an Internet Search Master with This Google Slides Presentation

In early 2019, I was contacted by Noah King who is a teacher in Northern California.

Noah was teaching his students about my 5 step process outlined in this post and put together a Google Slides Presentation with elaboration and examples.

You’re welcome to use and adapt the Google Slides Presentation yourself. Find out exactly how to do this in this post.

The Presentation was designed for students around 10-11 years old but I think it could easily be adapted for different age groups.

Recap: How To Do Online Research

Despite many students being confident users of technology, they need to be taught how to find information online that’s relevant, factual, student-friendly, and safe.

Keep these six steps in mind whenever you need to do some online research:

• Clarify : What information are you looking for? Consider keywords, questions, synonyms, alternative phrases etc.
• Search : What are the best words you can type into the search engine to get the highest quality results?
• Delve : What search results should you click on and explore further?
• Evaluate : Once you click on a link and land on a site, how do you know if it offers the information you need?
• Cite : How can you write information in your own words (paraphrase or summarise), use direct quotes, and cite sources?
• Staying organised : How can you keep the valuable information you find online organised as you go through the research process?

Don’t forget to ask for help!

Lastly, remember to get help when you need it. If you’re lucky enough to have a teacher-librarian at your school, use them! They’re a wonderful resource.

If not, consult with other staff members, librarians at your local library, or members of your professional learning network. There are lots of people out there who are willing and able to help with research. You just need to ask!

Being able to research effectively is an essential skill for everyone . It’s only becoming more important as our world becomes increasingly information-saturated. Therefore, it’s definitely worth investing some classroom time in this topic.

Developing research skills doesn’t necessarily require a large chunk of time either. Integration is key and remember to fit in your mini-lessons . Model your own searches explicitly and talk out loud as you look things up.

When you’re modelling your research, go to some weak or fake websites and ask students to justify whether they think the site would be useful and reliable. Eric Curts has an excellent article where he shares four fake sites to help teach students about website evaluation. This would be a great place to start!

Introduce students to librarians ; they are a wonderful resource and often underutilised. It pays for students to know how they can collaborate with librarians for personalised help.

Finally, consider investing a little time in brushing up on research skills yourself . Everyone thinks they can “google” but many don’t realise they could do it even better (myself included!).

You Might Also Enjoy

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8 Ways Teachers And Schools Can Communicate With Parents

How To Evaluate Websites: A Guide For Teachers And Students

14 Replies to “How to Teach Online Research Skills to Students in 5 Steps (Free Posters)”

Kathleen, I like your point about opening up sites in new tabs. You might be interested in Mike Caulfield’s ‘four moves’ .

What a fabulous resource, Aaron. Thanks so much for sharing. This is definitely one that others should check out too. Even if teachers don’t use it with students (or are teaching young students), it could be a great source of learning for educators too.

This is great information and I found the safe search sites you provided a benefit for my children. I searched for other safe search sites and you may want to know about them. http://www.kids-search.com and http://www.safesearch.tips .

Hi Alice, great finds! Thanks so much for sharing. I like the simple interface. It’s probably a good thing there are ads at the top of the listing too. It’s an important skill for students to learn how to distinguish these. 🙂

Great website! Really useful info 🙂

I really appreciate this blog post! Teaching digital literacy can be a struggle. This topic is great for teachers, like me, who need guidance in effectively scaffolding for scholars who to use the internet to gain information.

So glad to hear it was helpful, Shasta! Good luck teaching digital literacy!

Why teachers stopped investing in themselves! Thanks a lot for the article, but this is the question I’m asking myself after all teachers referring to google as if it has everything you need ! Why it has to come from you and not the whole education system! Why it’s an option? As you said smaller children don’t need search engine in the first place! I totally agree, and I’m soo disappointed how schooling system is careless toward digital harms , the very least it’s waste of the time of my child and the most being exposed to all rubbish on the websites. I’m really disappointed that most teachers are not thinking taking care of their reputation when it comes to digital learning. Ok using you tube at school as material it’s ok , but why can’t you pay little extra to avoid adverts while teaching your children! Saving paper created mountains of electronic-toxic waste all over the world! What a degradation of education.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Shohida. I disagree that all schooling systems are careless towards ‘digital harms’, however, I do feel like more digital citizenship education is always important!

Hi Kathleen, I love your How to Evaluate Websites Flow Chart! I was wondering if I could have permission to have it translated into Spanish. I would like to add it to a Digital Research Toolkit that I have created for students.

Thank you! Kristen

Hi Kristen, You’re welcome to translate it! Please just leave the original attribution to my site on there. 🙂 Thanks so much for asking. I really hope it’s useful to your students! Kathleen

[…] matter how old your child is, there are many ways for them to do research into their question. For very young children, you’ll need to do the online research work. Take your time with […]

[…] digs deep into how teachers can guide students through responsible research practices on her blog (2019). She suggests a 5 step model for elementary students on how to do online […]

Writing lesson plans on the fly outside of my usual knowledge base (COVID taken down so many teachers!) and this info is precisely what I needed! Thanks!!!

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You are invited to engage in the process of collective revision with us. Here are three ways you can provide feedback during this time:   

1. Take a survey. NAEYC has prepared surveys for both statements, available in English and Spanish . In addition to offering general feedback opportunities, these surveys will help guide you towards some areas where we are seeking specific feedback on open or unresolved questions.   

English Survey   Encuesta en español

2. Email your reflections. NAEYC is committed to reading, and translating if needed, all comments that come our way, so feel free to send your thoughts, in your preferred language, directly to [email protected] .     

3. Participate in conferences and focus groups. NAEYC and many Affiliates and Interest Forums will be holding conferences, meetings, and focus groups exploring one or both of these position statement drafts this fall, providing you with opportunities to share feedback in person and/or virtually.   

Thank you for helping us shape these collective, shared resources that support early childhood educators, partnering with families, in creating joyful, equitable learning environments for all. 

Thank you to the workgroup members who have done tremendous heavy lifting in bringing us to this point. 

• Leah Austin, President and CEO, The National Black Child Development Institute 
• Raquel Diaz, Implementation Consultant for Triple P 
• Cynthia DiCarlo, Professor of Early Childhood Education, Louisiana State University 
• Christyn Dundorf, Co-director, Teaching Preschool Partners 
• Zeynep Isik-Ercan, President, National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators and Department Chair of Early Childhood, Rowan University 
• Benita Flores-Muñoz, Member of the NAEYC Commission on Early Childhood Higher Education Accreditation and Retired ECE faculty , Del Mar College 
• Robin Fox, Interim Provost, University of Wisconsin Whitewater 
• *Stacey French-Lee, NAEYC Governing Board Member, and Clinical Assistant Professor, Executive Director of the Campus Child Development Program, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Georgia State University 
• Heidi Friedel, NAEYC Faith Based Interest Forum Facilitator, Early Childhood Consultant, and Staff Support Specialist for ECE Subhub 
• Eugene Geist, Associate Professor, Louisiana State University 
• Georgia Goldburn, Executive Director, Hope For New Haven and Co-founder,CERCLE 
• *Brian Johnson, NAEYC Governing Board Member, and Assistant Dean, James Madison College at Michigan State University 
• Sim Loh, Public Policy Specialist, First Up: Champions for Early Education 
• Andrea Maldonado, Director of Quality Assessment and Recognition, National Association for Family Child Care 
• Meir Muller, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education,University of South Carolina 
• Ernesto Muñoz, Senior Project Manager of Curriculum Literacy, University of Texas 
• Richelle Patterson, Senior Policy Analyst,  National Education Association
• Anu Sachdev, President, ACCESS and Adjunct ECE Faculty, East Stroudsburg University 
• **Ian Schiefelbein, ECE Faculty, Central New Mexico Community College 
• Ashley Simpson, BIPOC Educator Recruitment and Retention Strategies Program Manager, Aurora Public School District 
• *Toni Sturdivant, NAEYC Governing Board Member, and Director of Early Learning, Mid-America Regional Council 
• Tracy Weston, GAEYC District 1 Representative and Co-Founder, Noah's Ark Preschool Academy of Terrell, Inc. 
• **Reginald Williams, Full Professor of Early Childhood Education, South Carolina State University 

*Current NAEYC Governing Board Members  **Former NAEYC Governing Board Members 

NAEYC is grateful to our funders and supporters who make this work possible, including those who have donated through the Marilyn M. Smith Applied Research Fund

*NUEVO* Miles de ustedes compartieron sus opiniones, necesidades y comentarios a través de encuestas y grupos de discusión. Con esa guía, y liderados por grupos de trabajo extraordinarios compuestos por miembros del Directorio, docentes, socios y asesores, nos honra poder lanzar un período abierto a comentarios del público con versiones borrador de El Código de Conducta Ética y Declaración de Compromiso revisada para su lectura.   

Inglés   Español

Están invitado a participar en el proceso de revisión colectiva con nosotros. Estas son tres maneras en las que puede enviar sus comentarios durante este período:   

1. Responda una encuesta: La NAEYC preparó encuestas para ambas declaraciones, disponibles en inglés y en español . Además de ofrecer oportunidades generales para hacer comentarios, estas encuestas sirven de ayuda para guiarlo hacia algunas áreas en las que buscamos recibir comentarios específicos o preguntas abiertas o sin respuesta.   

Encuesta en inglés   Encuesta en español

2. Envíe sus reflexiones por correo electrónico. La NAEYC asume el compromiso de leer, y traducir si es necesario, todos los comentarios que recibamos, de manera que puede enviar libremente sus ideas, en su idioma de preferencia, directamente a [email protected] .    

3. Participe en conferencias y grupos de discusión. La NAEYC y muchas Afiliadas y Foros de interés organizarán conferencias, reuniones y grupos de discusión y estudiarán uno o ambos borradores de esta declaración de posición durante este otoño y le ofrecerán oportunidades para compartir sus comentarios de manera presencial y/o virtual.

Gracias a ustedes por ayudarnos a dar forma a estos recursos colectivos y compartidos que apoyan a los docentes de educación inicial, en colaboración con las familias, para crear ambientes educativos, disfrutables e igualitarios para todos.  

Gracias a los miembros del grupo de trabajo que han hecho un tremendo trabajo para llegar a este punto. 

• Richelle Patterson, Senior Policy Analyst,  National Education AssociationAnu Sachdev, President,  ACCESS and Adjunct ECE Faculty, East Stroudsburg University 
• Tracy Weston, GAEYC District 1 Representative and Co-Founder,Noah's Ark Preschool Academy of Terrell, Inc. 

NAEYC agradece a nuestros financiadores y patrocinadores que hacen posible este trabajo, incluidos aquellos que han donado a través del Marilyn M. Smith Applied Research Fund.

Position Statements

(Reaffirmation and Updated, 2011)  

• NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct Brochure

Supplements

More ethics resources.

Teaching the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct: A Resource Guide, Revised Edition

Ethics and the Early Childhood Educator: Using the NAEYC Code, Second Edition

Sample Activities from Teaching the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct: A Resource Guide, Revised Edition

Why naeyc has updated the ethics position statements.

In May 2011, the NAEYC Governing Board reaffirmed the 2005 Code and updated this position statement to reflect consistency with the “Supplement for Early Childhood Program Administrators,” which was initially approved in July 2006. Specifically, Section III-C of the Code (Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues / Responsibilities to Employees) was deleted, as these Ideals and Principles are addressed in the Supplement. Other minor modifications were also made to ensure clarity and consistency. In addition, changes were made to Ideals and Principles that regard responsibilities to families to ensure alignment with current family engagement best practices in the field.

The “Supplement for Early Childhood Program Administrators” was also reaffirmed by the NAEYC Governing Board in May 2011, and changes were made to Ideals and Principles that regard responsibilities to families to ensure alignment with current family engagement best practices in the field. In addition, references to the Code of Ethical Conduct, Section III, Part C: Responsibilities to Employees were deleted, as Section III, Part C was deleted in the May 2011 update of the Code.

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

How to Deadlift with Perfect Technique to Set New PBs, Gain Strength and Build Muscle

Easily the king of compound lifts, the deadlift is an essential move in your programme for a multitude of muscle building benefits

Muscles Worked by the Deadlift

Deadlift benefits, how to deadlift: 7 simple steps, eddie hall's guide to deadlifting, deadlifting: how many reps, sets and which weight, why is it important to have good deadlift technique, are deadlifts bad for your back, how to deadlift for beginners, top 10 deadlift workouts, the research.

Often hailed as the ultimate compound exercise, mastering the deadlift is a game-changer for anyone aiming to build strength and gain muscle . However, many lifters avoid it, fearing that improper form and heavy weights could lead to injury.

In fact, few movements have endured quite the amount of negative press as deadlifts, then again, even fewer exercises allow you to lift as heavy.

The bottom line is this: by learning how to deadlift correctly, you’ll unlock an exercise that works more muscles simultaneously than nearly any other. It makes sense when you think about it. To prise the iron from the floor you need a powerful lower body, a rock solid core , incredible grip strength, as well as conditioned arms, shoulders and back.

It's a true full-body move.

Appealing to bodybuilders, powerlifters, crossfitters, and beginners alike, no moves unites lifters quite like the deadlift. Yet, even the most seasoned lifters can benefit from refining their deadlift form now and then.

Here, MH covers the muscles worked by the deadlift, the benefits, how to deadlift, how many reps, sets and which weights are best for you, as well as variations and regressions, workouts and common FAQs. It's your complete deadlift form Bible. So, chalk up and let’s get to it.

Here are the main muscles worked by this power move:

• Quadriceps: Depending on the variation of the deadlifts you perform, evidence shows that the quadriceps will be recruited to varying degrees. However they will nearly always be one of the primary movers when driving the bar away from the floor as they are responsible for straightening the knees.
• Glutes: The deadlift is a hip extension movement, taking the hips from a more closed positing through to being completely open and extended (thus, 'hinge'). The glutes are responsible for pulling those hips through to full lock out.
• Hamstrings : One of the hamstrings’ primary functions is to extend the hip, bringing your torso upright. Depending on the exact set up, you will also get a good hit on the muscles that run down the back of your legs.
• Back : A debate as old as time: is the deadlift a back exercise or a leg exercise? Although the muscles of the back – latissimus dorsi, erector spinae and trapezius – mainly work isometrically to hold the bar in place and stop it drifting forward during the deadlift, evidence shows that the back is still one of the main muscle groups working in the deadlift, meaning it’s a good exercise to place on both upper and lower body training days.
• Core : The muscles of your core or trunk, including the internal and external obliques and transverse abdominis, engage during the entire movement in an ‘anti-flexion’ capacity. By consciously creating tension and ‘bracing’ through you core during the deadlift, you can help to stabilise and protect your back.
• Hips: During the deadlift, the hip flexors work to contract against resistance and extend during the hinge movement.
• Calves : The calves play a role during knee flexion, stabilising the ankle joint during the deadlift.
• Forearms : This one’s a no-brainer. Holding onto the bar for the duration of your sets places a huge demand on you grip, working the muscle of your forearms and hands like no other movement. The grip built here is potentially incredibly beneficial for other lifts in your programme .

Not sold yet? Here’s three reasons why you need to start incorporating deadlifts into your training plan:

Gaining Muscle

Using progressive overload (increasing weight, reps, sets, etc) effectively is the only way to ensure gains. Deadlifts, through the huge number of muscle groups necessary to perform them, and the sheer amount of weight you’re able to lift, are a sure-fire way of adding serious muscle mass.

Increased Testosterone

Because the deadlift uses multiple muscles groups , and the usage of heavy weights will majorly up the intensity of your session, you can expect to see a rise in natural testosterone. According to evidence , hard resistance training induces growth hormone and testosterone release, and the more muscles worked the higher a hormone hit you can expect.

Improved Bone Health

Like all resistance training, deadlifts can also improve bone mineral density and bone width. According to research , greater bone health and exercise have been shown to reduce the occurrence of falls in the elderly, suggesting that exercise is a good preventative measure. But you don’t have to wait until you’re elderly to get started, the bigger a buffer against muscle and bone loss you can build now, the better.

You should be sold by now, so it’s time to learn the proper deadlift form. We break down the conventional deadlift technique to help you peel some serious plates from the floor. You'll be deadlifting like a pro before you know it:

• Walk towards a bar until the middle of your feet are beneath it, feet shoulder width apart, with the bar intersecting the centre of your shoelaces.
• The deadlift is a hinge movement. So with soft knees, push your hips back, imagine shutting a car door with your bum as you reach your hands towards the bar. Your knees will bend in order to maintain a relatively flat back, but try to keep your shins vertical and not let your knees pass too far over the bar.
• Your shoulders should be over the bar with the middle of your feet underneath, arms straight and hips down low.
• Keeping your back and head in line, imagine squeezing two satsumas in your arm pits to create tension through your torso. Keeping your arms straight, grip the bar and pull your hips down, receiving the weight of the bar in a strong, tensile position before we start lifting.
• Take a deep breath, filling your trunk and bracing your core. Drive your feet into the floor and push the ground away aggressively while keeping the bar close. Don’t let your hips shoot up too quickly, your hips and knees should extend at the same time. Keep those arms straight, avoid trying to lift the weight with your arms, think of them as hooks.
• At the top of the lift, bring your hips right through so you’re standing upright, but avoid leaning back too far.
• Slowly reverse the movement to lower the weight to the ground, keeping your focus and avoiding just dropping the bar. Work the movement both ways with full focus to build strength and swerve injury. Once the weight is on the ground, start again from step one. Remember we’re learning how to deadlift , so no bouncing!

If anyone knows how to deadlift, it's Eddie Hall. The man who deadlifted half a tonne has explained to us what every part of your body should be doing as you approach the bar. Not always orthodox, Hall's advice will help you lift more than you ever thought possible.

Foot Positioning

'The number one mistake guys make with the deadlift is incorrect foot positioning,' says Hall. 'You should always put the bar in the middle of your feet – when you’re standing over the bar, it should be halfway between your heels and the end of the toes.'

'Make sure your feet are pointing straight like train tracks and shoulder-width apart. That’s how you lift safely – and with power.'

Back Positioning

'People say that a straight back is a must have, but I actually find that a rounded back works fine,' says Hall. 'It’s all about training your body to withstand that roundness. Training with smaller weights with a slightly untaught back will prepare your muscles for a massive 1 rep max .

'If you’re rounding it to the point that you can feel your spine popping out of your back or your muscles pulling, then it’s too far. Otherwise, round is sound.'

Head Positioning

'Whatever you’re most comfortable with will improve your lift,' advises Hall. 'However, I tend to look down at the bar – that’s my way of concentrating on what I’m doing. If you look away at what else is going on around you then your mind could start to wander and you’ll lose your mental edge.'

Those of you who admire each rep in a mirror, consider that a warning.

Hand Positioning

'Keep them an inch wider than your shins either side. It’s quite a wide grip, but that’s where you get power and stability,' instructs Hall. 'And make sure you’re lifting with an overhand grip with the bar deep into your palms. That way you prevent your biceps ripping off your arm.'

'I may slightly inhale on the way up, but I’ll keep hold of my breath and not let out anything until it’s over,' says Hall. 'Steering clear of big breaths is a great way of stabilising your body.'

'Move the bar from A to B,' says Hall. Can't get much simpler than that.

Supportive gear

'I train all year round without a belt or any supportive gear. That’s the best way to build all-round strength, and the only way to hit your stabilising muscles,' says Hall.

But if you're prepping for a half ton lift (or your 1RM)? Then’s the time to grab the gear: 'Wearing a weight belt for the big lifts makes sure your body is properly supported. I don’t wear the knee braces though – if you do the right form then your knees shouldn’t strain.'

Whatever the lift, it’s always best to choose rep ranges and weights to suit your abilities and goals. A well worn rule of thumb suggests that for strength, 3-5 sets of 2-6 reps works best, and for hypertrophy (building muscle) 4 sets of 6-12 reps seems be sufficient. However, more recent evidence suggests that everything from 5-25 reps can elicit hypertrophy if performed at a suitable intensity, so experimentation is important.

It must be noted, though, that due to the highly fatiguing nature of deadlifts, many coaches warn against heavy, high rep sets, for risk of form breakdown and injury. This is why the deadlift is often saved for low rep, strength building efforts, such as the 5x5 , or 5/3/1 protocols.

For muscular gains, to help find the ideal weight, it’s best to familiarise yourself with the RPE scale (rate of perceived exertion). This is a scale from 1-to-10, 10 being maximum exertion, 1 being minimum exertion.

For strength and muscle gain, towards the end of your deadlift sets, you want to be sitting at around an 8 out of 10. This means that at most you could complete 2 more reps on your working sets. While you shouldn’t push yourself to the point your form breaks down, if you’re consistently finishing sets knowing you could have performed at least 3+ more reps, you’re leaving gains on the table.

Perfect deadlift technique, if such a thing exists , will look different on everyone, depending on their build, biomechanics, training history, past and current injuries, and even their age. As well as this, because of the sheer amount of weight we can shift with deadlifts, there’s no denying that it opens us up to the possibility of injury more so than movements that limit us to lighter loads.

In a study that looked at powerlifting moves including the deadlift, it was mentioned that since all such lifts engage multiple joints and expose the lifters’ bodies to high physical demands – often several times a week – their injuries might simply be related to the excessively heavy loads , as opposed to the specific movements.

This research, with other contributing evidence , suggests that while the deadlift in itself may not be inherently more dangerous than any other lift, it’s the weights you’re able to use that ramp up the risk factor. Effectively, the deadlift may well allow for some parts of your body to write cheques that other parts may not be able to cash.

Despite their reputation for causing injury, deadlifts can be used as a rehabilitation tool. A 2015 study by Swedish researchers found that patients with low-back pain could benefit from performing deadlifts, depending on the intensity of their pain. In a 2021 study on chronic lower back pain, the following key points were concluded upon:

• Posterior chain resistance training is more effective in reducing pain and disability and improving muscle strength in patients with chronic low back pain than general exercise.
• Posterior chain resistance training does not have significantly more adverse events than general exercise in patients with chronic low back pain.
• Clinicians should strongly consider the prescription of 12–16 weeks of posterior chain resistance training to maximise outcomes in their patients with chronic low back pain.

So, while it is of paramount importance to be mindful of technique and weight choices, there is some evidence to suggest that when performed correctly deadlifts could potentially help back pain. As if we needed another excuse to include deadlifts in our programme!

It's worth highlighting that while deadlifting is an effective tool in your muscle-building armoury, it's a move that you need to take care over. If you're a beginner , follow these tips before trying to lift heavy. As ever, nail your form first.

How to Master The Hip Hinge

The deadlift is a hip hinge exercise. One way to ensure we're hinging correctly and safely is to start with the dowel hip hinge exercise. This ensures a flat back during the movement. To perform the dowel hip hinge, hold a dowel rod or PVC pipe from the base of your spine to the back of your head using both hands. Send your hips behind your heels with a slight bend in the knees while hinging at the hips.

Try to keep the rod in contact with your lower back, between your shoulders and back of head, throughout. Reverse the movement back to standing. This ensures you're maintaining a relatively flat back throughout the range of motion. Once you're confident, have partner or coach hold the dowel in place while you perform the movement with load.

Choose the Right Variation

Trying other deadlift variations and regressions before the barbell deadlift is a great way to ensure you remain injury free and hone your deadlift form. For example, after you've mastered the dowel hip hinge, continue onto the kettlebell deadlift and dual kettlebell deadlift. The trap bar deadlift is also a fantastic option for beginners learning how to deadlift due to it being easier on the back. But more on variations, later.

Don't Lift with Your Ego

Know your limits and work within them. Don't try to lift your 1 rep max in your first week of deadlifts. In fact, you may never need to know your 1rm. Start well within your lifting capabilities and work from there. There is no harm in scaling the weight to just a kettlebell or a stripped bar. There's nothing wrong with heavy weights, we love them, but going too heavy and courting injury is a surefire way to halt progress.

Now you know how to deadlift, try incorporating them into a workout. Here's ten of our favourite workouts featuring deadlifts and deadlift variations for you to test out your newfound deadlift form on.

• Squat and Deadlift Leg Day Ladder
• Increase Your Deadlift with the 5x5 Protocol
• The 5/3/1 Powerlifting Method
• The Hepburn Method
• The ‘Push, Pull, Legs’ Method
• 5 Full-Body Workouts
• 15 Minute Dumbbell Leg Workout
• Ultimate Full Body Barbell Workout Plan
• Four-Move Dumbbell Workout
• Go-To Barbell Workout

Check out the following links for further reading on the studies cited in this article.

• The Efficacy of Partial Range of Motion Deadlift Training: A Pilot Study http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.sports.20221201.03.html
• Trunk muscle forces and spinal loads during heavy deadlift: Effects of personalization, muscle wrapping, muscle lever arm, and lumbopelvic rhythm https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cnm.3680
• Exercise Effects on Bone Mineral Density, Falls, Coronary Risk Factors, and Health Care Costs in Older Women https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/774236
• Posterior-Chain Resistance Training Compared to General Exercise and Walking Programmes for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7940464/
• Which Patients With Low Back Pain Benefit From Deadlift Training? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25559899/
• Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7927075/
• Narrative review of injuries in powerlifting with special reference to their association to the squat, bench press and deadlift https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6059276/
• Exercise Highlight: The Sumo Deadlift https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301887259_Exercise_Highlight_The_Sumo_Deadlift

Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.

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At the Jerusalem synagogue where Hersh Goldberg-Polin danced in life, grief and anger reign after his death

JERUSALEM — Three hundred and thirty-two days after Hersh Goldberg-Polin danced in the courtyard next to his Jerusalem synagogue on the holiday of Simchat Torah, more than a thousand people gathered there in grief and prayer to mourn his murder by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

During the Sunday night vigil, the courtyard railings were lined with oversized yellow ribbons to symbolize advocacy for the hostages, Hapoel Jerusalem soccer flags — the 23-year-old’s favorite team — and posters that read, “We love you, stay strong, survive,” a mantra coined by his mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin.

Just hours earlier, one of the posters had been hanging over the balcony of the home of Shira Ben-Sasson, a leader of Hakhel, the Goldberg-Polins’ egalitarian congregation in the Baka neighborhood of Jerusalem.

“We were sure we would take it down when he came home,” Ben-Sasson said.

The community wanted to unite while respecting the Goldberg-Polins’ desire for privacy, she said, prompting them to organize the prayer gathering.

“But it’s like a Band-Aid or giving first aid, it’s what you do in an emergency. I don’t know how we go on after this,” she said.

A covered courtyard at the Hakhel congregation was filled with mourners the day after Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose family are prominent members, was found to have been killed in Gaza. Hundreds of other people crowded outside the gates, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

She added that the community, which has a large contingent of English-speaking immigrants, was not prepared for the High Holidays, which begin in about a month. She said, “Seeing his empty seat is hard.”

For Ben-Sasson, who wore a T-shirt bearing the Talmudic dictum “There is no greater mitzvah than the redeeming of captives,” the tragedy is especially painful because, she said, it could have been avoided with a ceasefire agreement that freed hostages.

“Hersh was alive 48 hours ago. We think a deal could have saved him. There is no military solution to this,” she said.

That feeling of bereavement, often mixed with betrayal, pervaded gatherings across Israel on Sunday, as the country struggled with the news that six hostages who may have been freed in an agreement were now dead as negotiations continue to stall. Speakers at protests in Tel Aviv blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who himself apologized for not getting the hostages out alive but blamed Hamas for obstructing a deal. The country’s labor union, the Histadrut, has called a national strike on Monday to demand a deal.

A rare early September rain lashed parts of Israel on Sunday, leading to a widespread interpretation: God, too, was weeping.

Some at the Jerusalem gathering, including the relative of another former hostage, said Netanyahu had chosen defeating Hamas over freeing the captives.

Josef Avi Yair Engel’s grandson Ofir was released from Hamas captivity in November. He paid tribute to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, murdered in captivity, in Jerusalem, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Josef Avi Yair Engel, whose grandson Ofir, 18, was released from Hamas captivity in November during that month’s ceasefire deal, expressed shock over Hersh’s murder but said he was not surprised, given the wartime policies of Netanyahu’s government.

“We knew months ago this was going to happen. Bibi’s formula, to dismantle Hamas and return the hostages, wasn’t logical. It’s an either/or situation,” Engel said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “He’s tearing the country apart. I’m afraid that in the coming months there won’t be a state at all.”

Engel said he felt a close bond with Hersh’s father Jon Polin, not only because of their joint activism in the hostage families’ tent outside the Prime Minister’s Residence, but also because of their shared identity as Jerusalemites.

“There aren’t many of us in the hostage circle,” he said. “We’re like family.”

Sarah Mann, who did not know the family personally, said the weekend’s tragedy reminded her of Oct. 7.

“This day has sparks of the seventh, which created numbness and an inability to talk. Just complete shock,” she said.

Mourners left notes at a gathering at Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s family synagogue in Jerusalem. Many of the messages used the Hebrew word for “sorry.” (Deborah Danan)

Part of the reason for that, Mann said, was Rachel, who she described as a “force of faith.” Goldberg-Polin’s mother emerged as the most prominent advocate for the hostages globally and became a symbol in her own right as she crisscrossed the world calling for her son’s freedom.

“Millions of people around the world held onto her. Once that was cut, people’s ability to hold onto faith was knocked out today. But even though this has shattered us, we need to keep holding onto God,” Mann said.

For Susi Döring Preston, the day called to mind was not Oct. 7 but Yom Kippur, and its communal solemnity.

She said she usually steers clear of similar war-related events because they are too overwhelming for her.

“Before I avoided stuff like this because I guess I still had hope. But now is the time to just give in to needing to be around people because you can’t hold your own self up any more,” she said, tears rolling down her face. “You need to feel the humanity and hang onto that.”

Like so many others, Döring Preston paid tribute to the Goldberg-Polins’ tireless activism. “They needed everyone else’s strength but we drew so much strength from them and their efforts, “she said. “You felt it could change the outcome. But war is more evil than good. I think that’s the crushing thing. You can do everything right, but the outcome is still devastating.”

Guy Gordon, with his daughter Maya, added a broken heart to the piece of tape he has worn daily to mark the number of days since the hostage crisis began, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Guy Gordon, a member of Hakhel who moved to Israel from Dublin, Ireland, in the mid-1990s, said the efforts towards ensuring Hersh’s safe return have been an anchor for the community during the war. The community knew him as the family described him in its announcement of his funeral on Tuesday, as “a child of light, love and peace” who enjoyed exploring the world and coming home to his family, including his parents and younger sisters, Leebie and Orly.

“It gave us something to hope for, and pray for and to demonstrate for,” he said. “We had no choice but to be unreasonably optimistic. Tragically it transpired that he survived until the very end.”

Gordon, like many others in the crowd, wore a piece of duct tape marked with the number of days since Oct. 7 — a gesture initiated by Goldberg-Polin’s mother. Unlike on previous days, though, his tape also featured a broken red heart beside the number.

Nadia Levene, a family friend, also reflected on the improbability of Hersh’s survival.

“He did exactly what his parents begged him to do. He was strong. He did survive. And look what happened,” Levene said.

She hailed Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s “unwavering strength and belief in God,” adding, “There were times I lost faith. I suppose I was angry with God. But she just kept inspiring us all to pray, pray, pray.”

Leah Silver of Jerusalem examined stickers showing Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s mantra for her son Hersh, who was murdered in captivity in Gaza, at a gathering after Hersh’s death, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Jerusalem resident Leah Silver rejected politicizing the hostages’ deaths.

“Everything turns political so quickly. I came here because I felt that before all the protests, we need to just mourn for a moment and to pray. And show respect for each other,” she said. “We’ve become confused about who the enemy is. It’s very sad.”

But not everyone at the gathering joined in to sing Israel’s national anthem at the closing of the prayer gathering.

“I’m sorry, I can’t sing ‘Hatikvah,'” Reza Green, a Baka resident who did not know the Goldberg-Polins personally, said. “I’m too angry. We shouldn’t be here.”

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