So You Wanna Use the Internet for Research?

Research. Even just a mere decade ago that word meant the chore of combing books and periodicals for information. But that came after first finding the "perfect" sources in periodical indexes and/or card catalogs (a lot of work in itself). Unfortunately, the school libraries couldn't carry all the books and magazines that might be needed, thus much of the research could not be utilized. Today, when one hears the term "research," Internet is the word that usually follows. The Internet can be an excellent, time saving research tool especially in smaller towns where other sources may not be as readily available. However, it is also one that can be abused, especially by many students who usually seek the easy way out of work (and yes, adults may be guilty of this too!).

When using information from research in writing, it's important to cite the material's source. This procedure allows for the source's authenticity. Citing sources based on Internet research is equally if not more important. The World Wide Web's massive information bank allows for easy information retrieval. Cutting, copying, or pasting is also just as easy.

As teachers, you should require your students to provide a way to verify their sources as well as prove their work is their own. Listing sites in bibliographies also makes students aware that teachers can follow up on their work and determine its veracity.

Although formal guidelines are yet to exist, guidelines are slowly evolving. The following should be helpful when citing online or other electronic sources.

University of Alberta Libraries: Citation Style Guides for Internet and Electronic Sources http://www.library.ualberta.ca/library_h... Provides a summary of the major types of electronic sources, citation components and examples, useful style sheets, and style guides.

Sarah Byrd Askew Library: Guide for Citing Electronic Information http://www.wilpaterson.edu/wpcpages/libr... provides ways to cite the basic format, online journals, online articles, online magazines, online newspapers, online reference books, Web sites, and Email addresses.

Bridget Slayden Contributing Editor English Education K-12

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