This document provides an overview of how to find and evaluate free online resources. It discusses different types of websites, criteria for evaluating websites such as currency and authority, and search tools like indexes compiled by information specialists. It also lists specific free online databases, technology tools, and medical, business, government, historical, genealogy, and travel information resources. Resources focused on Mississippi include sites for the blind/handicapped, Gulf Coast, Natchez Trace, Hattiesburg, and local museums.

1. How to Find and Evaluate
Free Online Resources
Teresa S. Welsh, Ph.D.
teresa.welsh@usm.edu

2. Types of Web Sites
 Advocacy
 Seeks to influence people'
opinion
 Promotes a cause

 Business
 Promotes a product ,
service, customer support

 Informational
 Provides factual info on a
topic or topics
 News
 Provides current info on
local, regional, national, or
international events/topics
 Personal
 Author is person or family
with no official org affiliation
 Entertainment
 Games, music, animation, or
video for entertainment
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3. Criteria to Evaluate Web Content
1. Currency – Is there a date created or updated on the
Web page and is it current or appropriate?
2. Authority – Is the author/creator of the Web page
named and do they have expertise?
3. Reliability – Is the domain .edu .gov or .mil (most
reliable), .net or .org (depends on org), or .com
(least reliable)? Is content objective/unbiased,
accurate?
4. Scope – Is the information complete? Is it basic or
advanced? Who is the intended audience?
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4. Web Indexes Compiled by Info
Specialists
 http://www.ipl.org/
 Internet Public Library
 http://www.itcompany.com/inforetriever/
 Internet Library for Librarians
 http://libraryspot.com/
 https://scout.wisc.edu/archives/index.php?P=Advanced
 Internet Scout Project
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5.  http://www.beaucoup.com/
 http://www.dmoz.org/
Meta-Search Engines
 http://www.dmoz.org/
 http://mamma.com/
Vortals (Subject Specific)
 www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson4.shtml
Search Engines Compiled by Robots
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6. 6
 and (default) (limits search results)
 or (expands search results)
 “ ”
 +
 -
 ~
 ..
 *
bound (exact) phrasebound (exact) phrase “blue sky”“blue sky”
requiredrequired +google+google
withoutwithout -yahoo-yahoo
synonymssynonyms ~automobile~automobile
year rangeyear range president 1940..1960president 1940..1960
wildcardwildcard “francis * coppola”“francis * coppola”
(one or more words in a phrase)(one or more words in a phrase)
Searching
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7. 7
Searching
 Domain library site:usm.edu
 File type filetype:pdf
 Images
 Local search pizza Hattiesburg
 Within URL or Title
 allinurl, inurl, allintitle, intitle
 www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html
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8.  Google Translate translate.google.com/
 Toolbar toolbar.google.com
 Book Search books.google.com
 Scholar/Citations scholar.google.com/
 Documents, Spreadsheets docs.google.com
 Picasa (upload photos) picasa.google.com
 Google Guide www.googleguide.com
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9. Free Online Databases:
 eric.ed.gov/
 Education Resources Information Center
 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?otool=wiuwiblib
 PubMed
 www.ingentaconnect.com/
 IngentaConnect
 www.osti.gov/scitech/
 SciTech Connect
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10. Free Tech Tools:
 https://www.openoffice.org/
 Similar to Office Suite, compatible w/Word, Excel, Ppt
 http://www.wix.com/
 Create a personal Web page
 http://animoto.com/
 Create a video photo album with background music
 http://pixlr.com/
 Photo editor
 http://www.skype.com/en/
 Video call anywhere for free
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11. Virtual Cloud:
 Sign up for free account www.dropbox.com/
 Save files in various formats to virtual cloud:
photos, documents
 Access Dropbox account from computers, phone
 Can invite persons to share access to specific
folders
 Syncs files from multiple computers
 Dropbox tutorial at SlideShare
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12. Fun Apps
 Create a Bio Poem cuip.uchicago.edu
/~adarice/cwsite/poems/ biopoemform.htm
 Create Cartoons www.toondoo.com/
 Delicious.com bookmarks delicious.com/
 Create Map www.google.com/mapmaker
 Create Your Own Newsletter paper.li/
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13. More Useful Sites for Seniors
 Free senior newswire, resources
http://savvysenior.org/
 Weebly.com Web site, blog builder
http://www.weebly.com/
 The Internet Archive/Wayback Machine
http://www.archive.org
 Instagram Phone App filter images, post to Facebook,
Twitter, Tumblr http://instagram.com/
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14. Where can I find free medical info?
 http://nihseniorhealth.gov/
 Information by topic
 Health videos
 Free Tips on Healthy Aging e-newsletter
 http://www.webmd.com/
 Search by symptom, health condition, medication
 http://www.mayoclinic.org/
 Symptom checker, First-aid guide
 http://www.pdrhealth.com/
 Search by drug name, health condition, or disease
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15. Medical Info for Specific Illnesses
 Heart Disease
 http://www.heart.org/
 http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
 Cancer
 http://acor.org/ and http://www.cancer.org/
 http://www.cancer.gov/
 Diabetes
 http://diabetes.org/
 http://ndep.nih.gov/
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16. Keeping a Healthy Body, Mind
 go4life.nia.nih.gov/
 Exercises, Tip sheets
 www.helpguide.org/life/senior_fitness_sports.htm
 Exercise & Fitness over 50: Tips for Getting Started
 www.lumosity.com/
 Brain games to exercise memory & attention
 www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/
 7 Brain-Boosters
 www.alz.org/ and www.alzinfo.org/
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17. Anti-Aging Nutrition
 www.nutrition.gov/life-stages/seniors
 www.helpguide.org/life/senior_nutrition.htm
 What your body needs, Tips for healthy eating over 50
 www.doctoroz.com/videos/
 Dr. Andrew Weil
 Supplements, super foods, breathing exercise
 www.doctoroz.com/slideshow/anti-aging-foods-gallery
 32 foods that fight aging
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18. Where can I find business and
investment information?
 www.usa.gov/topics/money/investing/tips.shtml
 www.bbb.org/council/
 Better Business Bureau
 www.sec.gov/investor/seniors.shtml
 SEC Investing Tips for Seniors
 www.investor.gov/news-alerts/
 Tips to Avoid Investor Fraud
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19. How can I find US government info?
 www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml
 Consumer protection, fed & state
agencies, money/taxes, retirement,
travel/recreation
 www.c-span.org/live/
 videos, podcasts, smartphone app
 US Government Manual
 Official Handbook of US gov
 Lists gov agencies, contact info
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20. What about info on congressmen?
 Congressional Directory
 Bios of congressmen
 www.govtrack.us/
 Tracks congress voting record
 http://www.opensecrets.org/
 Fundraising amounts, top donors
 http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
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21. What about Mississippi info?
 www.ms.gov/content/Pages/ServicesResidents.aspx
 Online services for residents
 www.statelocalgov.net/state-ms.cfm
 List of links to state by department, county, cities
 www.866ourvote.org/state/ms
 Miss. election information
 www.visitmississippi.org/
 www.deep-south-usa.com/mississippi/
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22. How can I find historical info?
 www.loc.gov/
 Digital images, historic newspapers, audio
 American Folklife Center, American Memory
 mhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/
 Smithsonian exhibit
 www.archives.gov/index.html
 Veterans service records, historical records, photos
 mdah.state.ms.us/new/
 State archives, digital images, public reading room
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23. How can I find historical videos?
YouTube Videos www.youtube.com/
Create a free account, subscribe to channels
Favorite Videos
The Southern Miss Story
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=z--6nAEEAO4
Beatrix Potter Collection at OLLI
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbRRFg9-tkU
de Grummond Children’s Literature Exhibit
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKuqEEJ6dgk
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24. How can I find genealogy info?
 http://home.ancestry.com/
 https://familysearch.org/
 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
 http://usgenweb.org/
 http://www.findagrave.com
 Cemetery search
 mdah.state.ms.us/arrec/gen_research.php
 libguides.lib.usm.edu/genealogy
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25. Where can I find travel tips?
 www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning/
 www.getyourguide.com/
 www.tripadvisor.com/
 www.retiredbrains.com/
 www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Travel.shtml
 Amtrak Senior Discount
 Federal Parks & Recreation Senior Pass
 $10 lifetime pass
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26. Mississippi Resources
 mississippibelieveit.com/home/
 www.mlc.lib.ms.us/ServicesToLibraries/BPHLS.html
 Blind, physically handicapped library services
 Audio books, braille books & magazines, large-print books
 www.gulfcoast.org/
 www.natchezms.com/
 www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm
 Natchez Trace beautiful, historic scenic drive
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27. Hattiesburg Resources
 www.hattiesburg.org/
 www.hattiesburgms.com/
 downtownhattiesburg.com/
 Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association
 www.hattiesburghistoricneighborhood.com/
 www.hattiesburgms.com/cultural/museum
 African-American Military Museum, Armed Forces Museum
 www.hahsmuseum.org/
 Hattiesburg Area Historical Society
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