• Also check out the WWW Virtual Library The VL is the oldest catalog of the web. Compiled by volunteers, it is pages of key links for particular areas in which they are expert. If you don't find anything there, you may need to do a Web Search...

• Check out the Internet Tutorials at the University of Albany Library web site! There is lots of good information here from a basic introduction to the Internet to a comparison of Web search engines...

1. Google

- matches ALL the terms typed in. Google does not recognize the 'OR' operator.
- try the "I'm feeling lucky" button to take you straight to the top result from your search.
- use "quotation marks" to search a phrase
- use - to exclude words (the + is not necessary, since it is assumed)
- Check out the subject specific Google Web Directory. Also search Deja's UseNet Discussion groups . And search for Images on the Web.

2. Alta Vista (

- now defaults to an AND search like Google 12/02
- truncation symbol is *
- case sensitive
- simple & advanced searching
- Boolean Searching (AND, OR, NOT) for ADVANCED only
- results ranked by terms specified in ADVANCED only
- use "quotation marks" to search a phrase or proper name
- can search for MP3/Audio files, Image files and Video files.

3. Librarians Index to the Internet

- "information you can trust" - !
- a searchable, annotated subject directory of more than 10,000 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians

4. Vivisimo

- "organized search results with organized clustering"
- Vivísimo does not crawl or index the web. It organizes the outputs of other search engines:URLs, titles, and short descriptions.

Note: Most search engines/guides have detailed explanations of how to use them. Look for linked words like "help", or "FAQ"(frequently asked questions).

1.Who is the author? Is s/he connected to some sort of reputable organization or expertise?

2. Is the source accurate?

3. Currency: When was the last time the site was updated? How current & reliable are the links?

4. What is the purpose of the Web Page?

5. Who is the intended audience? Is the subject pitched at the expert or layperson level?

Keep in mind:

Don't believe everything you read!

Are there better resources (print or non-print) available for your topic?

Here are some sites which offer further information on how to evaluate Web sites:

• The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, or why it's a good idea to evaluate Web Sources.

• Evaluating Internet Resources (U. of Albany) - a nice checklist of things to remember when selecting Web sources.

• Smith, Alastair G. "Testing the Surf: Criteria for Evaluating Internet Information Resources." The Public-Access Computer Systems Review 8, no. 3 (1997).

- there are lots of different ways to cite sources on the Web. Check with your professor to see if s/he has a preferred method. If not, there are examples both in print and on the Web. Remember that you must include when the site was last updated, and when you actually visited the site!

• Ref Z 674 .75 I58C93 1997 Ensor, Pat. The Cyberlibrarian's Manual. ALA, 1997 pp. 264-272. (ask for this at McCabe's Reference Desk)

• Ref PN 171 .F56L5 1996 Li, Xia Electronic Styles: A Handbook for Citing Electronic Information. Information Today, Inc., 1996 (at both McCabe & Cornell)

Or, check out these examples on the Web at the following sites:

• APA Style Electronic Formats

• Karla's Guide to Citation Style Guides - good source of information on all sorts of citation web sites.

• References for Writing - a comprehensive site containing links to Handbooks, Dictionaries, and writing guides.

Citation Example (web site): Sheridan, Rob. (1997, April 5 - last update). The Unofficial Dancing Baby Homepage. Available: http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/clapton/63/baby.htm [1998, September 7].

Citation Example (electronic journal article): Butler, Declan. (1999, January 21). The Writing is on the Web for Science Journals in Print. Nature [Online]. <http://www.nature.com/server-java/Propub/nature/397195A0.frameset?context=toc> [1999, January 27 1999]

Send feedback to: mspence1@swarthmore.edu