This document provides tips and resources for using the internet to conduct research in higher education. It outlines several key federal and state websites that contain important education statistics and data, such as the National Center for Education Statistics and the Ohio Board of Regents. It also lists several professional organizations in higher education that may have useful research reports and information on their websites. Finally, it provides some best practices for using internet search engines more effectively when researching topics related to higher education.

1. Using the Internet for Research in Higher Education Important websites for research information, as well as general tips for improving your searching using common Internet search engines.

2. Internet: the Basics There is no authority that controls what is available on the Internet, nor are the contents reviewed beyond the site’s owner. Many reputable organizations make information available on the web, including government agencies and professional organizations. Most scholarly, peer-reviewed books and articles are not available online for free, though the library’s subscriptions may allow you to access them over the Internet.

3. Internet: NCES The National Center for Education Statistics ( http://nces.ed.gov/ ) is a treasure trove of statistical information about the US education system. Major publications include: Condition of Education – annual analysis of key education indicators. Digest of Education Statistics – annual compilation Projection of Education Statistics – forward estimates of future educational indicators. A variety of programs, surveys, and data are available for Postsecondary education .

4. Internet: OBOR Policy information and statistics are also available at the state level from the Ohio Board of Regents ( http://regents.ohio.gov/ ) See especially the Higher Education Information section for statistical data and reports. (Michigan does not have an equivalent to OBOR.)

5. Internet: Professional Associations Some professional organizations that may have useful information include: American Council on Education – see Online Information Center American College Personnel Association Association for the Study of Higher Education Association for Institutional Research International Association of Universities – UNESCO National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Association for Institutional Research – see IR Resources Lumina Foundation for Education Spencer Foundation

6. Internet: Search Engines When searching the Internet, remember that the more specific you are, you’ll get fewer & more relevant results. These tips will help narrow your search: Add more concepts, including proper names Use “quotation marks” around words to search as phrases. Most Search Engines do not use truncation or wildcard symbols like * or $ at the end of words. In Google, capitalize OR to search for synonyms: Colleges OR Universities You can limit by Web domain in many search engines. E.g., in Google: site:utoledo.edu , or site:gov Use Google Scholar or Google Book Search for more ‘scholarly’ results. More information available here .