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Websites
Searching for information on the web is facilitated by using any number of search engines, indexes, or other tools, often provided by the browser software. Some popular ones are Google and Yahoo. Each search engine requires its own search techniques, which are frequently explained within site. These search tools offer ways to target sites closely related to topics of academic interest to Florida Tech students, faculty, and other researchers. Also, the library website provides easy access to FirstSearch's WorldCat, the Librarians' Internet Index, and the Scout Report, all of which index websites that have been evaluated and cataloged.
Evaluating web resources is complex but critical to the integrity of research. For a preliminary evaluation, you can ask these three simple questions:
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WHO?
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Who mounted the information? What qualifications, credentials, authority, or special knowledge does the author have?
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WHY?
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What is the purpose? To inform? To persuade? To deceive? Does the site exhibit a bias or slant?
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WHEN?
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When was the site published or last updated? Is timeliness essential to the site's value?
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