Introduction: Connecting Your Learning
Whether you are searching for directions to the new restaurant that just opened downtown or are trying to figure out how to reset your Internet connection, answers are available at your fingertips. Finding help for writing is no different, and at the end of the day, everyone can use a little help. The most valuable knowledge you can take away from this course is an understanding of how to find answers and where to locate resources.
| Readings, Resources, and Assignments | |
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| Required Readings | Read the following in Business English for Success before starting this lesson: |
| Multimedia Resources | |
| Required Assignments |
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Focusing Your Learning
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
- Identify resources to locate information.
Key Terms
Search
Search Results
Search Engine
Resource
Credibility
Reliable
Presentation
Physicians, lawyers, and teachers all use the Internet to track down information. As a student of writing, you will find the Internet to be a valuable resource. Here are a few tips to navigating the Internet.
Assess the credibility of the site.
- Who is the author?
- Is the date current?
- What kind of site is it? Professional? Personal? Commercial? Educational?
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Watch the following video Evaluating Sources on the World Wide Web-YouTube to learn more about evaluating resources. |
Now that you have a better understanding of how to evaluate resources, take some time to explore the free educational resources below.
- iTunes is not just for music. The site has a section for educational podcasts. Check out iTunes U.
- Wikipedia is a great place to start. Wikis give a user-friendly overview on many topics. You might have been taught to avoid Wikis, but the truth is that although you must be careful of inaccuracies (this is true of many online sources), Wikis are generally reliable and give an easy-to-understand overview of many topics.
- Ted.com (Technology, Entertainment, Design) provides videos from speakers who are leaders in the industries in which they work.
- Ehow offers resources and guidance on a large variety of topics ranging from business to personal interests.
- YouTube allows you to share, view, and discover information on people, places, and topics.
- The Purdue Owl is an online writing lab with resources and examples to help individuals strengthen their writing knowledge and skills.
- Dictionary.com doesn't just help you with your spelling. You can access a thesaurus, the encyclopedia, and even listen to how a word is pronounced.
- Grammar Girl gives clear and concise quick tips to understanding grammar.
Practice
To learn more about locating resources, go to the following Web site Doing Research on the Web and complete lessons 1- 3.
Lesson 1: Where Do I Begin?
Lesson 2: What Are Search Tools?
Lesson 3: How Do I Search?
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Complete the following practice activities: |
For additional practice complete the following:
Think about your progress in this course. Choose a concept that is still confusing to you. Conduct research to find answers and/or practice. You may use resources from your required reading, the links below, or other resources that you find on your own. Have fun with this.
Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Summarizing Your Learning
As a student in the digital age, you are lucky. If you have a question, the Internet will have an answer. So don't despair if you need help with grammar, revision, editing, ideas, or organization. Log on and find your way.
Assessing Your Learning
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Now that you have practiced, it is time to show what you know. Complete the assignment below. |
- Writing: Identifying Resources