Research Tips
Where do I start online research?
You may begin your online research by using a search engine, a website that may be searched to find topical websites. While this tactic does usually find relevant information, it may not be the best way to begin.
In the Library, we often start research by getting an overview of a topic from an encyclopedia. We often recommend Encyclopedia Britannica Academic or Encylopedia Britannica School for younger researchers. A Spanish version is also available.
Another good starting place is full text databases that contain articles from magazines and newspapers. Because these databases are searchable by names and keywords, they often identify and link to articles on the topics of research. Riverhead Free Library subscribes to several useful databases.