The following statements are from "TILT" the Texas Information Literacy Tutorial.  These statements are not meant to scare you away from researching information on the Internet.  These statements are meant to make you aware of the difficulty you may encounter when searching for information on the Internet.  

You may experience the entire tutorial by visiting the TILT site and registering as a "guest".  http://tilt.lib.utsystem.edu/

Starting with the Web

Although many people first go to the Web for information, it is not always the best place for what you need. It's pretty darn difficult to make definitive statements about something as diverse as the Web. But here we go... 

• Most information on the Web does not go through a review process. Anyone can publish on the Web without passing the content through an editor. Pages might be written by an expert on the topic, a journalist, a disgruntled consumer or a sixth grader. 

• Some information on the Web is not free. Many Web pages are free to view (and actually many of the best ones are), but some commercial sites will charge a fee to access all or part of their information. 

• Information on the Web is not organized. Some directory services, like Yahoo, collect links to sites and place them in subject lists. But there are too many Web pages for any single directory service or search engine to organize and index. 

• Most information on the Web is not comprehensive. The millions of Web pages out there make up an eclectic hodgepodge of information and opinion. Rarely will you be able to use a search engine on the Web to collect information about your topic from different time periods and different types of sources.

• Most information on the Web is not permanent. Some well-maintained sites are updated with very current information, but other sites may become quickly dated or disappear altogether without much notice. 

What is the Internet?  

The Internet is a collaborative information space, a connection of computers and computer systems.  The Internet is not managed by any one group.

What can you do on the Internet?

Some popular features of the Internet include:

• e-mail
• web pages/sites
• graphics
• newsgroups
• chat rooms

How do you search for information on the Internet?

There are several ways to find information on the Internet. 

• Search Engines
  Search Engines are indexing tools that search the Internet for occurrences of a specific word or phrase.
• Meta-Search Engines
  Meta Search Engines search several search engines at the same time.
• Directories
  Directories are searchable collections of sites that have been arranged by subject or concepts.
• Path Finders
  Many organizations and institutions provide guides to Internet information by subject
• URLs
  If you know the Internet address of the site, you can type it in directly

Using Search Engines and Meta-Search Engines

The PCC Library has a page with links to Internet Search Engines, Directories and Meta-Search Engines for your convenience.  Links to Search Engines and Directories

It takes practice and some patience - and sometimes just good luck - to become adept at Web Searching.  Take time to read help screens and think about the searches you are performing. 

• How to Search Google : http://www.google.com/help/basics.html

• How to Search AltaVista : http://www.altavista.com/sites/help/search/default

• How to Search AlltheWeb : http://www.alltheweb.com/help/basic.html

Using Directories and Pathfinders

Exploring directories can help you to get a feel for what kinds of information you will find on the Internet.  Subjects are arranged alphabetically and hierarchically for easy searching.  Remember, links that you find in Directories and Pathfinder are assembled by real live humans.

Directories (General and Subject Specific)

• Librarian's Index to the Internet: http://lii.org/

• Yahoo: http://www.yahoo.com/

• FirstGov: http://www.firstgov.gov/

• LII Legal Information Institute - Law by Source - State: http://www.law.cornell.edu/states/index.html

• Medicare.gov: http://www.medicare.gov/

• National Institutes of Health: http://www.nih.gov/

• US Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov/

• MyFlorida: http://www.myflorida.com/portal
  Navigate the directory Home - Floridian - Health & Medical ...or choose an agency

• Online Sunshine - Florida Statutes : http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/

• FindLaw.com: http://www.findlaw.com/
  
  

Pathfinders 
Most colleges and universities have pathfinders or subject guides to web resources - also check hospitals, medical associations, and government sites for pathfinders and subject guides

• Hinks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library: http://www.med.usf.edu/HSC/
  Click on "BestMed Websites"

• University of Florida Health Sciences Library: http://www.library.health.ufl.edu/irc/Catalog/Law_&_Health_Policy/

• Florida Atlantic University : http://www.library.fau.edu/subj/subject.htm

• University of Sidney Australia: http://www.law.usyd.edu.au/~library/pathfind/health_p.htm
  

You can search the Internet for more pathfinders and subject guides on your own.  Search for Subject Guides or Pathfinders.  Try limiting your search to .edu or .gov sites only.  Add in terms like Health, Medical, Medicine or state names. 

Evalutation

How can you be sure the information you have found is reliable?

We have a "How To" page for that...  
"How To Find Quality Web Sites"

Think about it...

Who produced this information

• What kind of organization do they come from?

• Do they have credentials?

• Can you contact them?

What kind of information is this?

• Is it reputable? Directory?

• Is it backed up with authentic data?

• Is it current?

Why did they provide this information

• Are they trying to prove a point?

• Are they selling something?

• Are they biased?

• Are they part of a larger organization?

  ---

You Decide - How would you evaluate these sites?

http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~rsbaker/exgf.pdf

http://www.theonion.com/onion3622/aspirin_with_bourbon.html

http://www.polk.edu/it/library/feline_reactions_to_bearded_men.htm

created summer/2002 cf
last update 12/2002