Using Dial-up for Internet Research

Internet research can be a great research, but a little tricky since there isn't much of a checks and balances set up to make sure what people are posting and promoting is actually legit. Here are some ways to wade through the endless amounts of websites and get you what you are looking for. The following websites will get you to the right information quickly so you don't have to waste your precious loading time on dead ends!

*Google.com. Google is the number one website and the leading search engine-by far! There's a reason for that. Google is fast (great for dial-up users!) and accurate (great for anyone who doesn't want to waste time!). They have complicated algorithms (a mathematical and techie method of determining a website's worth) that help rank the best websites at the top of the page. This will help you save time and avoid the phonies! There are a number of resources and tools that will help you find what you're looking for. Check out Google's help pages for more details!

*Wikipedia.com. Although this may not necessarily be a well-renowned source by scholars and professors, it's an awesome place to start. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that's been written, edited, and posted by people who use it. Anyone can add to it, which is why its authority is questioned, but usually it's pretty close. It's great for getting a gist of confusing terms and can be a great place to get some basic facts, context, and history quickly. Then you can do more research elsewhere to get more details or verify the facts. All you have to do is start with a keyword for your research. Many entries will hyperlink other words in the entry that you can click on to get the encyclopedia entry for that word! This way you won't be too confused. At the bottom of the page is a list of the sources that were cited for the entry you just read. Most of them are links to other websites. You can click these links for more details and also use them as a resource!

*Ask.com. This search engine is a long standing resource for online research. It search page is made perform searches in the form of a question. The sources it cites are typically reputable and helpful for research needs.

*Dictionary.com. Many times, research simply starts with (or eventually requires) just looking up some definitions! Dictionary.com gives you fast definitions, plus, you can look up the same word on the Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, and Web Search tabs. In one click you get all these tools looking up the same word!

These sites are some great place to start to get some valuable research done! In no time, you'll have some key websites that are worth citing, and some great notes for your paper or project! Don't forget to copy the URL of the sites that you find any valuable (even just a little) information with your notes. This way you won't have to find them again later. Also, when using dial-up, it helps to not try to surf more than two sites at a time.
Written by Hannah Miller, Director of Online Marketing and Customer Service Rep, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet Services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online. Check out my blog for this and more great articles! http://www.copper.net/wire