How to Perform Term Paper Research on the Internet
Performing Term Paper Research on the Internet
Never before in history has information been as readily accessible as it is today.
The modern student has a wealth of facts and figures at his or her fingertips and all with the click of a mouse - but is it a good idea to perform term paper research on the Internet?
There is no doubt that it is easy enough to find information on just about any topic you can think of but how reliable is that information? The simple truth is, just about anybody who has the correct software and access to the Internet can build a Web site, regardless of its quality or accuracy. There is also the added issue of quoting from or referring to Web site in your term paper only to find that the information is subsequently deleted. So if you do make the choice to perform term paper research on the Internet you will need to learn the art of evaluating what you read.
There are four categories of Web pages that may be useful when you perform term paper research on the Internet:
1. Informational Pages - These could include independent and scholarly research, reference sources, and fact sheets.
2. News and Journalistic Sources - This includes news wire sites, electronic journals, and online magazines and newspapers.
3. Advocacy Pages - These are Web sites created to create awareness of a particular viewpoint on an issue. This kind of page is generally sponsored by non-profit organizations, but independent activists do publish their own literature on the Internet.
4. Personal Home Pages - These sites are informal pages. The authors can publish resumes; list links to favorite sites; or promote their publications, accomplishments, and ideas in general.
