Chapter 4 - Using the Internet for Educational Research
After reading Chapter 4, you should have mastered each of the following objectives.
- Define the following terms relevant to your use of the Internet: host, ISP, browser, homepage,
HTML, link, and URL.
- Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of using the Internet for educational research.
- Compare the Internet and ERIC on the following factors: database indexing, database
organization, quality control, currency of information, text availability, global access, and
availability of other information.
- Identify the major differentiating characteristics of the URLs for governmental agencies,
educational institutions, organizations, community based Internet providers, and commercial
groups.
- Discuss the similarities and differences between online and print search techniques.
- List the major elements of a web site and identify these elements in an actual site.
- Define the search-related terms subject directory, search engine, and metasearch engine. Identify
the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- Identify a research topic that is appropriate for using a subject directory. Conduct a search using
at least two different subject directories.
- Identify a research topic that is appropriate for using a search engine. Conduct a search using at
least two different search engines.
- Identify several metasearch engines relevant to searching for educational research. Conduct a
search using at least two of these.
- Describe the unique characteristics of each of the following methods for communicating on the
Internet: e-mail, listservs, and news groups.
- Identify a major web site for each of the following: the federal government; state government;
national research centers; regional educational laboratories; professional associations; online
journals, reviews, and abstracts; statistical data; and the Office of Education Research and
Improvement.
- Conduct a search on Yahoo! and Google using the advanced search option.
- Cite electronic resources using APA format.
- List six questions that help evaluate the quality of information found on the Internet. Evaluate a
web site using this criteria.
