UW Libraries -Internet research

Open Online Resources

Internet research, like any research, can be time consuming. Be prepared to change your search strategies and to think creatively!

If you are using Google . . .

Review essentials of Google searching before you begin. You will also find a good overview of Google search techniques here.
Use the Advanced Search page to limit your search to appropriate domains, such as .gov or .edu. or to limit your search by subject. Both search methods will often significantly improve your search results.
Use Google Scholar, which will allow you to locate academic articles on your topic. (You may not be able to access the full text to the article, however. See Note, below.) Use Advanced Google Scholar to limit your search by topic.

General Internet indexes

Explore these links to find almanacs, dictionaries, authoritative websites (organized by subject area such as business, computers, science, statistics, etc.), free searchable online periodicals, and countless other resources.

Internet Public Library (IPL).
Libriarians Index to the Internet (LII).You can also submit reference questions to IPL librarians using their Ask a Question Form.

Books & dictionaries - selected sites for both general and subject-specific information

Bartleby - reference books, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction
Chemistry and Environmental Dictionary
Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Online Books - 25,000 titles (older books for which copyright has expired in the US)
Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS)
Project Gutenberg - 18,000 titles (older books for which copyright has expired in the US)

Articles & research papers - selected sites for both general and subject-specific information

Directory of Open Access Journals - 643 fully searchable journals under a variety of topics
Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) - includes more than 110,000 full-text materials; use the advanced-search link to limit to full-text articles
Library, Information Science, and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) - index and abstracts to more than 600 periodicals, books, research reports and proceedings
LookSmart FindArticles - 10,000 articles from popular magazines
MagPortal - mixture of free and subscription online articles
Open-Access Eprint Archives in Science, Technology & Medicine - selected links to full-text articles
Social and Human Sciences Online Periodicals - free access to specialized articles from around 700 periodicals worldwide (UNESCO Documentation Centre)
Teacher Reference Center - provides indexing, abstracts and some full text to over 280 of the most popular teacher and administrator trade journals
Working Papers in Economics - over 250,000 research items free to download
World Press - links to online newspapers from every country

Libraries & library consortial catalogs - use these to locate materials you need; then order via interlibrary loan if this service is available to you

Libdex - lists libraries of the world
The European Library - search holdings of national libraries in Europe
Open World Cat - search bookstores, Google, and other libraries for books and articles (largely in the US)

NOTE: You will frequently find citations to a book or journal article that is not available free online. If you do not have access to a local library to help you borrow this material through an interlibrary loan, the material will not be available to you and you will need to continue your search to find different material. In addition, some libraries offer a document delivery service for articles in their collection. This is not a free service; unaffiliated patrons will be charged a fee for delivery.