When doing research remember the word "COWS," as it will help you in being successful and organized in your search.  Look for your resources in this order.

C =
When doing research, always start with current reference books, textbooks and non-fiction library books. Learn some basic information about your subject and start a list of "keywords" you can use to gain more information on your topic. Use the library's OPAC to check your resources.

O =
Use these resources every day! Our online resources are the Gale Group (Student Resource Center (SRC)--Gold, SRC--Health Module, Student Edition, Opposing Viewpoints,and Gale Virtual Reference Library),Encyclopædia Britannica Online: School Edition, World Geography Online, and Web Feet. These are password protected databases that you can access 24/7 from school or home. Get the URLs, usernames and passwords from the librarian. They work like a search engine but contain information that is not available for free on the World Wide Web. College students use similar databases for their research projects.

W = (Pre-selected web sites)
A webliography is similar to a bibliography only it's on the web. These are web sites that have been selected by your teacher or Mrs. Bowen to assist you with your project. Please go to your class web site to find the webliography for your project. Or you can use Web Feet with your keywords to find pre-selected academic sites for your project.

and if all else fails --

S =
Once you have learned about your subject by visiting all of the books, online programs, and web sites recommended by Mrs. Bowen and your teacher and you still need more information it is time to search the web. BEWARE! Search engines are not all created equal and you need to learn what types of information each will provide and how that information is presented. Take a few minutes and check out the following links. You will also need to know about the "invisible web" and how to access its information.

To learn more about Search Tools, follow the links by clicking on "Introduction to Search Tools."

and

What can search engines do for you and how can they help you with your research. Read up on each of the major search engines and how they find information for you. Click on "Major Search Engines."

and

To learn more about Specialized Search Engines, follow the links by clicking on "How to Find a Specialized Search Engine for Your Topic."