When it comes to online research strategies, students often face the challenge of sorting trustworthy sources from unreliable ones. With so much information available at our fingertips, it’s easy to feel swamped or unsure where to start.
Reliable sources are key to writing a strong research paper in Essentials, producing a science research paper in Challenge I, or preparing a compelling Lincoln-Douglas debate in Challenge III. By mastering effective online research strategies, students can confidently gather credible information while avoiding misleading or unreliable content.
Keep reading to learn how to make the most of your online searches and to develop trustworthy Internet research skills for your students.
How to Do Good Internet Research: Finding Reliable Information Online
Imagine you’re a Challenge A student writing a science paper—or a Challenge IV student beginning to think about your Senior Thesis. You Google your topic, and before you know it, you’re overwhelmed by the sheer volume of articles and blogs. Some sources are recent, others are a decade old, and still others are heavily biased. You wonder: How will you present the needed information in a way that is credible, clear, and compelling?
In today’s digital age, where an ocean of information is just a click away, the ability to effectively research well is more important than ever. Thankfully, by practicing the Fifteen Skills of Learning,[1] you can masterfully harness the resources available during this Age of Information and Globalization.
Here are seven tips to help you research effectively.
1. Define your topic with a specific, measurable focus.
This can be a question you wish to answer or a specific topic you wish to share information about. Consider different angles and perspectives, and craft a succinct, straightforward sentence that is easy for your audience to grasp.
Example:
❌ Too broad: Researching “solar system”
✅ Better choice: Focusing on “effects of solar flares on Earth’s communication systems”
Skills practiced: Naming, Definition, and Comparison, along with others
2. Use effective searching strategies.
When performing online research, you achieve better results with specific keywords and filters. Use quotation marks to search for an exact sentence or phrase, and become familiar with other keyboard operators to enhance your searches. These tools will help you customize your search to the precise results you are looking for.
Example:
❌ Less effective: Searching “Shakespeare plays”
✅ More precise: Searching for “Brevity is the soul of wit” or Shakespeare AND “tragic heroes”
Skills practiced: Naming, Attending, Definition, Comparison, and Invention
3. Choose sources that are reliable.
Prioritize academic journals, university publications, government websites, and reputable organizations (domain extensions of .edu, .gov, and .org). Verify an author’s credentials and the publication date of an article to ensure that information is accurate and current. For academic sources, check if the article has been peer-reviewed by others knowledgeable in the field.
Example:
❌ Questionable source: An anonymous blog post about climate change
✅ Better choice: A recent study from NASA.gov or peer-reviewed journals like Nature or The Journal of Climate
Skills practiced: Comparison, Relationship, Circumstance, and Testimony
4. Use critical thinking.
Consider whether a source is biased. Is it an organization or news outlet with a specific agenda? If so, it is not necessarily wrong to use it, but it is important to recognize bias and account for it. Cross-check facts and look for professionalism in both the writing style and platform design.
Example:
❌ Potential bias: An article on renewable energy funded by a solar panel manufacturer
✅ Balanced source: Consulting neutral sites like energy.gov or The International Energy Agency
Skills practiced: Comparison, Circumstance, Testimony, and Invention
5. Arrange your information logically.
Divide your subject into multiple topics, and consider allocating one paragraph for each topic. Decide which order will be most effective. Consider saving the most compelling or intriguing point for last. Don’t forget a strong conclusion and an attention-grabbing introduction.
Model Outline:
- Introduction – Start with an attention-grabbing hook
- Body Paragraph 1 – Introduce the background or context
- Body Paragraph 2 – Present your strongest argument or key point
- Body Paragraph 3 – Add supporting details or counterpoints (refutations)
- Conclusion – End with a memorable takeaway or call to action
Example:
If writing about the history of aviation, organize sections chronologically—from the Wright brothers, to World War II advancements, to modern-day innovations. Alternatively, for a persuasive essay using The Lost Tools of Writing, start with your strongest argument and end with your most memorable point.
Skills practiced: Expressing, Comparison, Relationship, Circumstance, Arrangement, and Elocution
6. Stay organized.
Keep track of both the sources you cited directly and the sources you consulted. Create a running list, and format them into the citation style needed (MLA, APA, Chicago). You can also employ various note-taking tools, such as Evernote or OneNote, to record the information as you go.
Example:
When researching the Civil War, maintain a document that includes URLs, book titles, and author names as you find them. This habit will save you time and frustration when creating your bibliography later.
Skills practiced: Arrangement, Elocution, and Delivery
7. Take Time to Refine.
After you’ve finished your first draft, read it aloud. Then, make revisions. Clarify what is still fuzzy. Reorder facts when necessary. Go back and fact-check if something sounds off. After that, ask trusted friends or family members to read it and give their thoughts and suggestions.
You may also notice misspelled words and incorrect citation formatting. Polish your paper by correcting these mistakes.
Refining is an important part of the process. As lifelong learners, we shouldn’t settle for our first—or fifth—draft. We’re continually growing and improving—the Fifteen Skills of Learning help with that, too.
Example:
When revising your paper on the Industrial Revolution, you may realize you left out key details about how inventions shaped factory work. Adding this point can strengthen your overall argument.
Skills practiced: Circumstance, Arrangement, and Elocution
Mastering Internet Research Skills for Student Success
Whether you are just dipping your toes in a subject for the first time or navigating the currents of fact-checking, arranging, and organizing pieces of information, remembering these tips will bring you safely to your desired goal.
Enjoy the process—both of researching, and of crafting your prose, turning out words and phrases that sound just right. In the end, when you can finally practice the skill of Delivery by sharing your writing with others, reaching this goal is rewarding for both you and your audience. This is true whether you’ve written just a few paragraphs or a lengthy dissertation.
A sea of opportunity is at your fingertips!
Looking to improve academic integrity in your homeschool? Dive into these helpful resources:
[1] Classical Conversations Catalog, p. 7.
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