CHAPTER 5.1 - DOING HISTORICAL RESEARCH ONLINE

Summary

In this informative presentation, the speaker introduces essential online resources for conducting historical research. Highlighted websites include the Internet Archive, which houses vast collections of web pages and media; Google Scholar and Google Books for accessing academic articles and scanned books; and Wikipedia, an extensive open-source encyclopedia that serves as a starting point for research. Project Gutenberg offers a wealth of free eBooks, while Philippine government websites provide access to legal documents. This overview equips researchers with valuable tools to enhance their online historical inquiries.

Takeaways

• 😀 Historical research online can be effectively conducted using various reliable websites.
• 📚 The Internet Archive is a comprehensive online library that provides digital versions of many resources.
• 🔍 Google Scholar is recommended for finding scholarly articles and institutional materials.
• 📖 Google Books offers access to scanned books, allowing users to read chapters for free.
• 🌐 Wikipedia contains over 201 million articles and serves as a useful starting point for research, despite its editable nature.
• 📜 Project Gutenberg is the oldest digital library, offering more than 50,000 free eBooks, including historical texts.
• 🇵🇭 Philippine government websites provide resources related to laws and academic publications relevant to history.
• 💻 Research quality improves with the use of established platforms for sourcing information.
• 📝 While Wikipedia is editable, it can lead to credible sources if used carefully.
• 🌍 A diverse range of resources is essential for thorough historical research.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the presentation?

The presentation focuses on conducting historical research online and introduces various useful websites for this purpose.

Which website is recommended for finding academic articles?

Google Scholar is recommended for locating electronic journal articles, materials from institutional repositories, and book chapters.

What types of content can you find on Google Books?

Google Books offers scanned books, allowing users to read some chapters for free.

What is a significant advantage of Wikipedia as a research tool?

Wikipedia provides access to a vast collection of over 21 million articles in multiple languages, serving as a useful starting point for research.

What is a notable disadvantage of using Wikipedia?

The main disadvantage is that anyone can edit Wikipedia articles, which may affect their reliability.

What is Project Gutenberg known for?

Project Gutenberg is known as the oldest digital library, offering over 50,000 free eBooks, including classic literature.

What kind of materials can you access through the Internet Archive?

The Internet Archive provides access to over 279 billion web pages, 11 million books and texts, audio recordings, videos, images, and software programs.

What specific resources can be found on Philippine government websites?

Philippine government websites primarily offer information related to laws, government publications, and legal resources.

Why is Google Scholar considered a valuable resource?

Google Scholar is valuable because it aggregates scholarly literature from various sources, making it easier for researchers to find credible academic materials.

What can researchers do with the information found on these recommended websites?

Researchers can use the information to enhance their understanding of historical topics, cite credible sources in their work, and access a wide range of digital literature and resources.