Internet research made easy Via Acumor

You need to research Einstein’s life for a school paper. You need to research the history of your company’s biggest competitor. The Internet is there for you.

After all, the online world is loaded with just about any stat, study and research paper that you’ll require to learn more about any subject imaginable.

But exactly how do you know that the information you’re finding online is actually true? Online research is convenient, but the Internet is also filled with half-truths and outright lies. Fortunately, the Lifehacker Web site has come up with a couple of effective tips for doing accurate research online.

Is that a bias?

No one is free from bias. We all have our own strong views. These views, though, can skew our online research. For this reason, Lifehacker recommends that researchers first understand their own biases before performing online research. For instance, if you believe that life starts at conception, you may not be inclined to acknowledge studies or opinion pieces taking the opposite side. This tends to ruin your online research before you even start. Be sure, then, to take what Lifehacker calls your confirmation bias into account before you commence scanning the Internet for your research.

Bad information

The most common trap for online researchers, though, is bad data. The Internet is clogged with lots of improperly cited articles and half-baked research, says Lifehacker. Depending on this content for your research can leave you with horribly inaccurate information. Make sure you rely on articles from highly regarded sources, whether that be medical journals, government studies or college reports.

Specialized online research

Google, Bing and Yahoo! are fine search engines for the very beginning stages of your research. However, if you need to get in-depth, you’ll need to use more customized search engines. Thankfully, there are many to choose from. Try such engines as PLOS, Scirus, Google Scholar or The U.S. Library of Congress. You may well be surprised at the information that’s available.

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