More and more research is being done online these days. In some ways, that's great. Researchers don't always have to take expensive trips, arrange their schedules around library hours, make long phone calls, or send hand-written requests for information that may or may not exist.
But it can also be overwhelming. There is so much information on the internet that it can be difficult to find what you're looking for and discern whether it is reliable. Most colleges these days are including seminars or even entire courses on information literacy as part of their basic curricula to help their students make the most of their research time.
Here are a few hints and tools that may be useful for you:
- Take A Class -- Since you're reading our blog, you've probably got the basics of computer use worked out. If you'd like a little more practice, want help with a particular program, or know someone else who could use a hand, check your local public library. Many offer classes to help their users get up-to-speed with new technologies. Here in Boston, the BPL has a range of continuing education workshops covering everything from the basics of using a mouse to file management, genealogy software, and borrowing e-books.
See if your area has other continuing ed. options, as well. Both the Boston Center for Adult Education and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education have a range of technology courses on topics as diverse as introductory skills, social media, photo editing, web design, financial management software, and Java programming.
Search Better -- Google is a lot of people's first stop when looking for information, but not everyone knows how to get the most specific search results. This handy infographic shows examples of techniques that go beyond simply typing in keywords and hitting Enter.
It also includes a section on keyboard shortcuts that make reading online easier and more efficient.
- Do Some Reading -- If you're a bit more "old school" and still prefer to get your information from the printed page, the Old Dominion Univeristy Libraries have a list of books on their page of Information Literacy Resources. They also offer a number of video tutorials, how-to guides, and further links to resources at other institutions. The wording is geared toward college students, but research is research, and the same tools can be helpful to everyone.
- Get More Savvy -- The guides on the November Learning website are primarily geared toward teachers, but they contain some great information to help you evaluate the trustworthiness of websites you may come across. Learn how to read the parts of a web address, find out who created a given site, and see previous versions that might give you a clearer picture of the author(s). And if you already know these things, at least take a look at their list of evaluation sites, because some of them are hilarious.
The more you know about how the web works, the better you'll get at making it work for you. Play around with some of these resources. You might be surprised at what you find.
--Robin
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