The following is a list of resources that Providence faculty and families have found useful for beginning research on the web. It is by no means comprehensive.
General advice:
Beginning Research:
Before you visit Google or Yahoo!, you should first use the following resources.
Scholarly Search Engines
Reference Resources
- Answers.com (dictionary, encyclopedia and general reference website)
- About.com (maintained topical directory)
- Wikipedia (*Please see Providence's position on Wikipedia below)
Before you visit the Library
You can save many hours in the Library by doing the brunt of your research from home. The following resources can help you find books, examine their contents, and determine if they will be useful for your research before you visit a library. All in-coming 7th graders are trained in the basic techniques of using these sites. Any parent or student who would like to learn or refresh their memory on these techniques are encouraged to arrange a time with Mr. Booth to do so.
Resources for examining the contents of books
*Providence's Position on Wikipedia
When used wisely, Wikipedia can be an invaluable resource for researchers. It is inherently untrustworthy, however, because it can be publically edited. Therefore, students should never use Wikipedia as a primary or secondary source. They are encouraged to use it as a tertiary source -- to familiarize themselves with a topic and to find primary and secondary resources -- but they should consider all information as suspect until verified by a reliable source.