Depending on the purpose of your paper you may use on-line web sources. By applying these five criteria you can decide if they are sources to use. Ask yourself the following questions:
Authority - Is the document author or site sponsor clearly identified? Does the site provide contact information for the author or sponsor?
Objectivity or clear disclosure of advocacy - Is the site's purpose clear (for example, to inform, entertain or persuade). Is the site explicit about declaring its point of view? Does the site indicate whether it is directed toward a specific audience?
Coverage - Are the topics covered by the site clear? Does the site exhibit a suitable depth and comprehensiveness for its purpose? Is sufficient evidence provides to support the ideas and options presented?
Accuracy - Are the sources of information stated? Do the facts appear to be accurate? Can you verify this information by comparing this source with other sources in the field?
Currency - Are the dates included in the website? Is the information current, or at least still relevant for the site's purpose? For you purpose?
Criteria list taken in whole from: Ramage, Bean and Johnson. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing. 5th Ed. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc., 2009: 602.
The Internet is filled with an enormous quantity of information. Remember, search engines only index a small part of the world wide web. To find more results search in a variety of sources.
References and General History Websites
The African-American Mosaic - A Library of Congress resource guide for the study of Black history and culture. The Mosaic is the first guide to the Library's African-American Collections. Collections cover nearly 500 years of the black experience in the Western Hemisphere. Collections include books, periodicals, prints, photographs, music, film, and recorded sound.
African-American Odyssey - The African American Odyssey showcases African American collections from the Library of Congress. The exhibition tells the story of the African American experience through nine chronological periods.
BBC: The Story of Africa - This BBC site features Africa’s top historians and analyzes the events and characters that have shaped the continent from the origins of humankind to the end of South African apartheid. Among the topics covered are the rise and fall of empires and kingdoms, the power of religion, the injustices of slavery, and the expansion of trade between Africa and other continents.
Civil Rights Digital Library - This website promotes an enhanced understanding of the Civil Rights Movement by helping users discover primary sources and other educational material from libraries, archives, museums, and public broadcasters.
Civil Rights Documentation Project - Developed by the University of Southern Mississippi Library and partners, this website provides oral history transcripts and a civil rights timeline.
In Motion : The African American Migration Experience - A website that presents a new interpretation of African-American history, one that focuses on the self-motivated activities of peoples of African descent to remake themselves and their worlds.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute - Building upon the achievements of Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers Project, the King Research and Education Institute provides an institutional home for a broad range of activities illuminating the Nobel Peace laureate’s life and the movements he inspired.
Martin Luther King Jr. - Few have had as much impact upon the American consciousness as the late civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In recognition and support of his ideals of quality and fairness for all, The Seattle Times created a Web site in 1995 that celebrates this important historical figure. Since then, educators from throughout the United States and the world have used the site as a teaching tool. The site includes stories culled from The Seattle Times over the past decade, as well as archival information such as a photo gallery and audio clips of King's speeches. One of the most fascinating features of the site is its message board, which contains heartfelt tributes to King from people of all ages all over the world. The site has proven very popular, registering over 1 million page views each January and February.
NAACP - Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation.
PBS History of American Slavery - Provides an overview of American slavery from the Virginia colony to the American Civil War.
This Far by Faith : African-American Spiritual Journeys - This PBS companion site covers 1526 to the present day and provides an introductory essay to each section and interactive timelines where one can explore significant events and people.