The Internet is both a wonderful and terrible source for academic level research. Many students may believe that “everything is available on the Web”, and it surely seems so. However, when conducting research, it is important to choose from a wide variety of sources and to verify the accuracy, appropriateness, scope, relevance, timeliness, objectivity, and authority of the information. These elements are necessary for evaluating research resources, whatever they may be, and are particularly critical when choosing an Internet source for information.

Research by Topic Guides provide reliable lists of quality Web sites. The “Web Links” pages within these guides have been created by librarians and educators who have reviewed designated Web sites using the evaluation criteria mentioned above. The library's Information Literacy & Research Guide provides more tools for effectively, efficiently, and reliably searching the Internet for quality information. For example, try the following pages from the guide:

• Locating Information: Searching the Internet

• Evaluating Resources

Contact Information: Hilton M. Briggs Library, SBL 2115, SDSU, Brookings, SD 57007-1098,  Phone: 605-688-5570, Fax: 605-688-6133, Email Us  Updated 2 January 2008 by db