Using the Internet for your Research

selvam

Using the Internet for your Research

(Over) simplified hints from Selvam

 What is a URL?

  • Uniform Resource Locator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_resource_locator

 

Wikipedia.org

  • It is a very useful resource to find simple definitions and explanation for almost anything under the sun.  But do not copy and paste.
  • Be an intelligent scholar.  Use the references that are used in the article.

Important: go down to the reference list and see if there is any attached pdf file and click on it.

Google.com

  • Today, teacher is no more the expert!  Google everything!
  • However, as a smart scholar you should know how to make out what is a scholarly material and what is not.  Try not to cite material from webpages or blogs – these are just opinions.  But internet has a plenty of scholarly material.
  • Often scholarly files (journal articles and book chapters) are in pdf (Portable Document Format).

Step 1: To get pdf files out of the internet, google your search word + pdf

Example: mungiki pdf

Step 2: Check if the pdf file has information about the source-book or journal article or dissertation. If it does not have such information – it should not be cited.

Scholar.Google.com

If you search on this subdomain, you are sure to get only citable references, but you may not find all the sources in full text.

However, if you are smart you can get this from other e-sources like EBSCOHost.  See here below.

 

Tangaza E-Sources

Step 1: Go to Tangaza Website: www.tangaza.org

Step 2: Go to <<Library>> pull-down menu and click on <<E-Resources>>

Step 3: Click on <<Ebsco Host>> (first on the list)

Step 4: Click on <<Ebscohost Web>> (first on the list)

Step 5: Select all sources

Step 6: enter your key word (be intelligent – use meaningful phrases)

Wherever pdf is found, you will have access to full text.

Further hints: Set page view to 50 entries at a time.

 

Copying APA Citations

Step 1: While on pdf view or in the article view: Click on <<Cite>> icon.  This is fourth from top on the right navigation bar.

Step 2: Scroll down to APA

Step 3: Select the relevant text;

Step 4: ctrl+c;

Step 5: go to the target file and ctrl+v.

 

Copying APA Citations from Scholar.google.com

Step 1: search for the source – use article title.

Step 2: Click on “cite”

Step 3: Select the relevant text from APA reference;

Step 4: ctrl+c;

Step 5: go to the target file and ctrl+v.

Make sure the entry is right.  It is not always complete!