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*Criminal Justice Research Guide*

A research guide devoted to criminal justice and police science.

Using the Internet to Find Sources

Searching the Internet

Once you've chosen a serial killer, the next step is to learn more about them. You might start your research with Google - after all, we know how to use it and we can usually find information quickly!

It's important to evaluate the information you find on the internet, while keeping in mind the specific websites you're not allowed to use for this assignments, like Wikipedia.

Be sure to apply the criteria you just learned to decide if you have a credible source for your paper.

When searching Google, try these search tips for best results:

  • Use "quotation marks" for phrase searching (for example, "Jack the Ripper")
  • Search a specific domain (for example, Jack the Ripper site:.gov)
  • Search a specific site (for example, site:FBI.gov Jack the Ripper)

A Word About Domains

The website's domain (.com, .edu, .org) is not an indicator of its credibility. The domain only tells you what kind of website it is: commercial, education, non-profit (possibly). Remember to evaluate the source based on the information it contains, not by the URL.

A website that ends in .gov (government website) is always considered authoritative, but you should still evaluate it to make sure it meets your information need.