Web based resources can greatly simplify the literature search process.

OhioLink Homepage http://www.ohiolink.edu/

Access to Abstract and journal article search engine

GeoRef http://etextb.ohiolink.edu/bin/gate.exe?f=search&state=vvsv2v.1.1

This of course brings up several key issues regarding citation of web sites. Note of
course that there is a difference between electronic access to a peer-reviewed article,
and electronic access web pages on the net. Web pages will cannot at this point substitute
completely for the citation of peer-reviewed papers.

There are several reasons why this is the case. First, the author of the web site and their
affiliation may not always be apparent. Second, the information on web sites is not often
easily verifiable either because references may not be cited, or because web sites change
frequently. Finally very little material on the web is peer reviewed. That is to say, an independent
expert has not evaluated the content to determine whether it is factually and logically
correct. In addition, because most web sites are essentially self published information, there is
no guarantee that the material you cite will be identical at a later date or even accessible.

In general, you will note that I tend to link to web pages from institutions, government entities,
and large organizations, rather than corporate, small organizations, or individuals who I do not
personally know. The reason for this is that one can generally expect more stable web sites and
have (to some extent) confidence in the veracity of the information on the site.

Additional tips on how to evaluate a web site follow: