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Evaluating Websites | Internet Search Techniques | Search Engines | Netiquette

Evaluating Websites (Checking Validity and Reliability)

• Evaluating Internet Resource: A list of criteria for evaluating websites.  Created by the University of Albany Libraries)

• Evaluating the Quality of Information on the Internet (A checklist for discovering quality in Web-based information, commentary on technical trickery, examples of bogus Web sites, and resources for learning more.  From the Virtual Chase, a Research Site for Legal Professionals)

• ICYouSee Guide to Critical Thinking About What You See on the Web  A tutorial of web evaluation. A Guide to Critical Thinking About What You See on the Web

• Virus Hoaxes Symantec's virus hoax search engine.  Symantec Security Response uncovers hoaxes on a regular basis. These hoaxes usually arrive in the form of an email. Please disregard the hoax emails - they contain bogus warnings usually intent only on frightening or misleading users. The best course of action is to merely delete these hoax emails. Please refer to this page whenever you receive what appears to be a bogus message regarding a new virus, or promotion that sounds too good to be true.

• HoaxBusters describes hoaxes and chain letters found on the Internet. They discuss how to recognize hoaxes, what to do about them, and some of the history of hoaxes on the Internet.

• Internet ScamBusters Urban Legends and Hoaxes Resource Center lets you quickly find out whether popular (and usually 'urgent') emails are true -- or whether they are urban legends or hoaxes

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Internet Search Tutorials and Techniques

• Boolean Searching on the Internet - A discussion of search logic and how to do advanced searching on the web.

• Finding Information on the Internet - A no-nonsense, well-organized tutorial on web usage. Includes a glossary of Internet terms, a general search strategy, and specific techniques for using individual search engines. Maintained by University of California at Berkeley.

• Googling to the Max - A one hour course on how use Google really well, taking advantage of its features and negotiating around its weaknesses. Created by the University of Berkeley Libraries.

• How to Be a Web Hound - An entertaining tutorial on web usage, covering search techniques, evaluation of site content, and tips on designing quality sites. Suitable for advanced or beginning web users. Maintained by Maricopa Community College.

• Searching the Internet: Recommended Sites and Search Techniques - Explores a variety of search tools to help you gain skills in conducting research on the Internet.

• Four Nets for Better Searching Four NETS for Better Searching, (start Narrow, Exact phrases, Trim back the URL, and look for Similar pages).

• Advanced Searching using Google.  Advanced Search, which offers numerous options for making your searches more precise and getting more useful results.

• Invisible-Web is a site companion site to "The Invisible Web: Finding Hidden Internet Resources Search Engines Can't See" a book by Chris Sherman and Gary Price.  They provide a directory of resources the Invisible Web has to offer.

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Search Engines

• Specialized search engines There are a significant number of specialized search engines, as can be seen at Search Engine Guide. The list provided by this link is a selective subset.

• Search Engine Guide Internet search engines are categorized by topic in our searchable directory of general and specialty search engines. Also listed are resources and tools for exploring the deep web, performing advanced research, and for learning about using search engine tools and technology.

• About Offers Guides with practical advice and solutions for every day life.

• Ask Jeeves also known as Ask.com is a natural language search engine.

• Dogpile A meta-search engine - like using multiple search engines all at the same time.

• Google the worlds largest search engine.  You can search for article, images, news groups and many other things.

• WebCrawler uses innovative metasearch technology to search the Internet's top search engines, including Google, Yahoo! Search, MSN Search, Ask Jeeves, About, Looksmart and more.

• Info.com View the best search results blended together or separately from Google, Yahoo!, MSN Search and Ask Jeeves.

• Yahoo! Originally just a subject directory, it now is a search engine, directory, and portal.

• MSN search Microsoft is committed to improving your search experience.

• Singingfish is the premier audio/video search engine, and Singingfish.com is the place for consumers to find, explore, and experience the universe of free media. Unlike traditional search engines, Singingfish only indexes multimedia formats, including Windows Media, Real, QuickTime, and mp3s.

• MRQE (Movie Review Query Engine) search for movie titles and reviews.

• FindSounds.com, a free site where you can search the Web for sound effects and musical instrument samples. Take a look at the types of sounds you can find.

• Picsearch is a company at the cutting edge of visual search that provides an image search engine for individual users. Picsearch connects its users to the vast visual resources of the internet.

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Netiquette

• The Core Rules of Netiquette are excerpted from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea. Click on each rule for elaboration.

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General Information | Blackboard | WebCT | Graphics, Clip Art and Multimedia | Accessibility 

Resources | Design, Pedagogy and Best Practices | Dictionaries, Thesaurus, Encyclopedias 

News, Articles, and Books | Plug-ins and Freeware | Internet Search and Techniques

Microsoft Tutorials | Respondus | Camtasia