Communications 101 (Dow) Lab Exercise and Worksheet: Using Online Databases & the Internet

Focusing on the narrowed topic you have chosen for the source-based writing project, use the library’s databases and / or the Internet to find and select sources that look like they will be useful for your project. When you search for sources, remember that you are looking for reliable sources that will add authority and expertise to your essays. Also, be sure to write the titles correctly, with capitals, quotation marks, and underlining.

Specific career chosen____________________________________________________________

1. Using one of the search tools (for example, Yahoo! or Dogpile) that we discussed on Monday, search the Internet for a reliable web site that may be useful in this project. The criteria outlined on the handout from Monday’s class will help you evaluate these sources.

A. Name of author(s), editor(s), or institutional author: _____________________________________________________________________________

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B. Name of individual web page (with capitals) in quotation marks: _____________________________________________________________________________

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C. Name of entire web site in italics: _____________________________________________________________________________

D. Additional publication information (for example, complete electronic address, date of publication, and date of access): _____________________________________________________________________________

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2. Using one of the library’s online databases, find a substantial, informative full text article on your topic in a periodical (journal, magazine, or newspaper). You may print this article in the lab or e-mail it to yourself.

A. Name of author or authors, if given: _____________________________________________________________________________
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B. Name of article (with capitals) in quotation marks: _____________________________________________________________________________

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C. Name of periodical (with capitals) underlined: _____________________________________________________________________________

D. Additional publication information (for example, volume and issue number of publication for journals, date of publication, section for newspapers, page numbers, name of database, file number, and date you accessed the material): ______________________________________________________________________________

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3. Can you think of someone whom you may want to interview (in person or via phone or e-mail) for this project? Why would this person be a valuable source for these essays?