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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Roosevelts - Morford: Internet and Database Searching

Research project in conjunction with the premiere of Ken Burns' seven-part, fourteen-hour film documentary "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History."

Sweet Search

This Google-powered custom search engine will help you find relevant information faster! Your search will be limited to Web sites collected and evaluated by research experts.

Remember to use quotes if your search term is more than one word. For example, search for "humid subtropical."

Bonafide or Bogus?

Ensuring the legitimacy of web resources is critical to successful research. Follow these tips to determine a site's trusthworthiness:

1. Determine the author of the site. Look for an "About" section with information on the site's parent organization; if there is no "About," carefully examine the homepage, paying particular attention to the bottom margin for any names or clues. If a provided name (whether of an individual, organization, or institution) is unfamiliar, take the extra minute to Google the name and see what you can find!

2. Pay attention to tone and content: is the information provided fact, opinion, or propaganda?

3. For site content presented as fact, does the author provide sources/references for verification?

4. Check for timeliness. When was the site last update? Are links live and current?

5. Always ask yourself, "Why should I believe this site?"

Encyclopedic Databases

Periodical Databases