Many of the information you are looking for are now available in electronic format. The only challenge is to find reliable sources. Try first the school’s Internal/intranet subscriptions. They are completely reliable:
Masterplots is also available on the School server.
We also recommend these search engines:
... and these subject directories:
DMOZ, looksmart and The Librarian's Index to the Internet
Mrs. Snyder's math class, click HERE (to go to the Math
Portal)
The EBSCO collection of databases includes full text articles from thousands of magazines and newspapers. It also includes a highly specialized collection of several thousand full text journals designed for professional educators, access to ERIC, Health Source and Business Source Elite, as well as databases for Middle School and High School student research and projects. The Library may provide you with a user ID and password to access EBSCO both from School and at home. Access is provided by the New Hampshire State Library
These are sites specializing in homework resources:
A+, High School Hub, ResearchPaper.com
The REFERENCE DESK is loaded with information and facts, encyclopedias, almanacs, reference publications, and has an excellent search engine. If you're in a hurry, give it a try!
If you need to use the MLA, or APA or ASA style to document works cited in your essays, go there
There are also a number of virtual libraries which besides their catalog, offer many resource indexes. The Internet Public Library has an amazingly rich reference collection and magazine and newspaper collection. The New Hampshire State Library features its own excellent website selection, including links to NH state government, resources and information data. The Awesome Library organizes the web with 17,000 carefully reviewed resources, including the top 5 percent in education. The Magazine Rack is just what it sounds to be: a user-friendly list of free links to the online version of a number of magazines, with the outlook of a magazine rack. Enjoy!
The editors, fact-checkers, legal departments, proofreaders, and rewrite teams who stand behind much of the traditional media do not stand behind the net. Anyone can put up a web site and, as Fido said in the chat room, "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog." You have to decide for yourself if information from a particular site is reliable-which is not an easy job when the topic is unfamiliar. Start with these 5 leading questions:
Who made the site? There is a person or a group behind every single page. Can you tell who they are? Does the contact information include a postal address or phone number? Are their qualifications stated? Are they noted for a particular point of view?
Why did they make it? There is a purpose underlying every site; information, entertainment, sales, advertising, persuasion and recruitment are among the most common. Does the author tell you why the site was created? Do you agree? Can you detect a hidden agenda?
What do the pages look like? Appearance counts. Have the authors used correct spelling and conventional grammar? Is the site organized and easy to navigate? Up to date? Readable? How's the ratio of information to fluff?
Where is it? Check out the neighborhood. Is there .edu, .gov, or .mil in the URL, marking it as university, government, or military? If it is commercial (.com) or organizational (.org), what do you know about that company or group? Is there a tilde (~) in the address, which usually points to a personal home page? Or a .k12.us indicating a public school?
How does it compare? Check out the competition. How does this site compare with more traditional sources of information on the topic? Do some fact-checking in an encyclopedia or specialized reference book. How does it stack up against the other web sites you found on the same topic?
There is a real, credible organization or person behind this site; if there is bias, I am aware of it.
The site looks good and its neighborhood is suitable; pages are well organized, up-to-date, and free from spelling mistakes.
It was created to inform or educate, and I don't detect a hidden agenda.
Several facts and opinions agree with what I found in books, magazines, or newspapers.
*If you can't check them all, you've got nothing.
For more on evaluating internet sources, see the ALA's recommendations.