This document discusses several types of digital print resources that can be used for research, including online newspapers, online magazines and e-zines, and Google News. It provides details on the features of these resources and how they can be searched. Students are encouraged to evaluate online sources and given tips and examples for searching different digital print resources to find information for assignments. The document concludes by asking students to describe how they could use specific resource types, like online newspapers or magazines, to research the risks of extreme sports.
2. Introduction
Writing a good research paper is like being a savvy
detective.
You have to analyze
and synthesize
information from a
variety of sources and
then decide which
information can be
trusted.
3. Introduction
As an online researcher, you must find trustworthy
digital print resources to use in your writing.
Digital print resources can be
• Online magazine
articles
• Digital editions of
newspapers
• Online journal
articles
4. Online newspapers
Almost every major newspaper today has an online
edition in addition to the print edition. Digital editions
of newspapers are excellent resources because they
offer
interactive charts
and graphs
the option to
e-mail the author
frequent updates
5. Online newspapers
Additional features provide opportunities for fuller
understanding of a story. Online newspapers include
searchable
archives
multimedia
content
links to
related content
6. Research Tip
Online newspapers
Use the following questions to evaluate
each digital newspaper you use in your research.
• Who is the author of this article?
What are his or her qualifications?
Is there a way to contact him or her?
• What institution publishes this
article? Is that institution reliable?
• Is the source site current and
updated regularly?
• Is the information presented
objectively, without bias?
7. Online newspapers
You can use an online newspaper to search for
information that you need to find.
For example, you can search
for articles about rock
climbing by using the online
newspaper’s search field.
8. Research Tip
Online newspapers
Many national newspapers archive
articles online as far back as the early 1980s. Some
will allow you to search for even older articles and
will e-mail you copies for a small fee.
For example, here is
the archive search
screen from the
Chicago Tribune.
9. Tech Tool: Google News
Google News is a Web site that catalogues recent
news articles from 4,500 news sites all over the world.
You can browse articles organized by region, topic, or
popularity, or you can use the site’s search features.
10. Tech Tool: Google News
You can locate articles relating to your research topic by
entering keywords and clicking Search News.
11. Tech Tool: Google News
Google News includes a timeline feature that displays
articles chronologically. You can access this feature by
selecting News archive search from the home page.
Then enter
your keywords
and click Show
Timeline.
12. Tech Tool: Google News
Here are the Google News timeline search results for
“rock climbing.”
The results are
grouped by
year-span
and arranged
from oldest to
newest.
You can use this feature to analyze how your research
topic has changed over time.
13. E-zines and online magazines
You can also use e-zines and online magazines as
sources for research.
An e-zine is a magazine that caters to a niche or special
interest and is published electronically, especially on the
Internet.
An online magazine
is electronic in form
and is usually a
version of a magazine
that is also published
in print.
14. E-zines and online magazines
Print magazines differ from e-zines and online magazines.
Print magazines E-zines / Online magazines
In-depth analysis Searchable database
Linear content Frequent updates
Deeper narrative Bookmarking Search box
Extended content RSS feeds Interactivity
Re-readable format Video Podcasts
Many photos Blogrolls (links to blogs)
Message boards/forums
Reporter blog/reader comment
15. E-zines and online magazines
You can look at both e-zines and online magazines when
you are doing your research.
Rock and Ice is
an e-zine about
rock and ice
climbing.
Outside is an
online magazine
about outdoor
recreation.
16. E-zines and online magazines
NewsLink is an online database of online newspapers,
magazines, radio shows, and television broadcasts.
You can use
NewsLink to
search for online
magazines
relevant to your
research topic.
17. E-zines and online magazines
Your search can yield articles that will provide essential
information.
18. Conclusion
In this lesson, you have looked at several kinds of
digital print resources:
Online newspapers and archives
Different ways to search for
news, including Google News
Online magazines and e-zines
These resources can help you with your research
projects by providing up-to-date information, the ability
to search archives, and details in a more interactive
format.
19. Talk About It
Discuss these questions with your classmates.
1. Do you read any news Web sites, online magazines,
or e-zines regularly? If so, which ones?
2. How do the similarities and differences among online
magazines, e-zines, and print magazines relate to
your needs as a researcher?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
searching for and reading online text as opposed to
printed text?
4. How could you use the timeline feature of Google
News to help you in your research?
20. Your Turn
You have been assigned a research project on the
risks involved in extreme sports. Describe ways that
you could use each of the following types of resources
to get information on this topic.
• an online newspaper
• an online magazine or e-zine
• Google News
21. Your Turn: Possible Responses
• I could search one of my city’s online newspapers
or the online newspaper of a city in which extreme
sports events are probably held.
• I could use NewsLink to find online magazines
about extreme sports and then search each
magazine’s Web site for articles about the risks of
extreme sports.
• I could plug the keywords extreme sports risk into
the Google News search to find current articles. I
could also do a timeline search to find out how
risks have changed over time.