Overview: In this section you will learn search strategies specific to perform searches on web-based sources of information.

World Wide Web resources include reference materials, primary literature, and secondary literature. In other words, the Web is a huge library of electronically-presented information of all sorts. A word of caution: just because you found it on the Web, don't jump to the conclusion that it is more authoritative than a similar paper document. Always make sure that you evaluate the material you find on the Web.

Traditional publishers are converting print sources to the Web--often for a fee. For example, the Tisch Library subscribes to Britannica Online, the Web version of the venerable Encyclopaedia Britannica. You'll also find scientific information offered on sites mounted by professional societies and biology departments. Such sites may offer free links to datasets, electronic journals, online reference sources, images, and summaries of research projects. On innovative sites, you'll find resources that are impossible in print: simulation models, animated images, and searchable datasets.

Why Use Web Resources?

Web sites can offer timely news on scientific developments, easy access to electronic journal articles, and access to materials that can't be displayed in printed format. In fact there are examples from the whole range of scientific literature on the Web. However, resources on the World Wide Web are not a substitute for the traditional primary, secondary, and reference literature sources described in this tutorial. Web sources may be difficult to locate and must always be carefully evaluated.

GUIDELINES
STEP 1: Retrieve the list of refined concepts you compiled in previous steps

STEP 2: Retrieve the list of refined queries you wrote in previous steps

STEP 3: Select the queries you are going to search on web-based sources.
From the two lists in previous steps select those that are going to be searched on web-based sources of information

Example1:

STEP 4: Locate the search engine that will give you access to your secondary source of information.
Locate the source of information, for example, if you named the biology library as your secondary source of information; get information from them as to ways in which you can access their search engine to formulate your queries. 

Click to see a video demo In order to watch the video, you should have flashplayer plugin installed. You can download the plugin from
Click to link to sources

STEP 5: Formulate your query
Once you have access to the search engine; formulate the query by typing the query expression you wrote in the table as shown above.

STEP 6: Examine the results
The set of results -or hits- is given to you once the search is finished.
Examine the set.

STEP 7: Done yet?
if satisfied with the results; then move on to the next query and the next until done with the list.
If the results are not quite what you expected, refine your search by using the tricks you learned in previous sections of this tutorial or by specific ones applicable to the search engine you are using. Then try the search again.

STEP 8: Collect results
Put together a list with the results you obtained here.