Subject directories offer a collection of links to Internet resources, organized into subject categories. Some directories are created in order to help users find high quality sites of interest and are selective in the sites they include.
Is the site a .com, .edu, .org, .gov or something else? You can tell a lot about a website by looking at the end of the web address. For example, www.amazon.com is a business where items are sold whereas www.stcc.edu is for educational purposes.
Most common Internet domain names:
These are the most common URL endings (or domains) used for web addresses.
These are some of our favorite writing Web sites. Let us know if you find others that you think are helpful.
The Emory Writing Center - Resources Emory University
Writing@CSU: Writing Resources, Colorado State University
Politifact.com From the Tampa Bay Times, this site assesses the truth of political claims.
Factcheck.org From the Annenberg Public Policy Center provides assessment for policy claims.
Harvard's Kennedy School List of Think Tanks (And, yes, these folks take sides!)
Pew Research Center "Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World"
In looking for Web sites on your topic, consider using a list of recommended Web sites, sometimes called a subject directory. Some of them are listed to the right. Many library web sites also recommend Web sites in different categories, such as those listed in the STCC library's research guides.
If you choose to search the web on your own, remember to evaluate websites for accuracy and currency. Not all the information on the web is trustworthy.
Other ideas for finding reliable Web sites:
By now, you are aware that not all Web sites are created equal and that anyone with a computer can put up a Web page. For doing academic work, students must be sure that the Web site from which you are getting information is reliable. Use the following information* as a tool for evaluating your sites. Most sites won't have all of the following qualities, but the ones you actually use should contain answers to at least some of the following questions:
Who wrote the information?
Is there an "about us" or "mission statement" located on the main page?
Is the site current?
Who funds the site?
What type of site is it?
*thanks for contributions made to this checklist by Kathleen Packard.
Wikipedia is a popular Internet destination for many users. However, many teachers, professors, librarians and other education professionals view Wikipedia as a bad source of information. Why?
There are ways to track changes to Wikipedia entries. You can view any changes made to an entry by viewing the revision history of an entry by clicking on the history tab on each entry in Wikipedia. For an example of this information take a look at the revision history of the American Civil War Wikipeda article. You also take a look at the revision history to specific segments of the article.