Conservation Science Subject Guide

The internet has a lot of great information - but also a lot of bad information. It's easy to get bogged down when trying to sort one from the other. Try the following tips to make searching and using internet resources easier.

• Know what domains mean.
  Anyone in the world can own most domain endings, such as .com and .org. A .org site does not mean that the site is run by an organization, or that the information is trustworthy. Two domains endings you can usually trust: .gov, or .us.gov, are always government-owned websites; .edu are always university/college (higher education) websites.
• Use the advanced search.
  Google has an advanced search option that lets you be more specific in your search. Tell it NOT to find pages that use certain words. Tell it to find pages from certain dates. Most usefully, tell it to find pages that have a certain domain ending.
  • To access the advance search, click "settings" on the bottom-right corner of the screen and choose "advanced search."
  • You'll be able to be much more specific with search options. Google provides instructions to the right of each search box. It's worth reading them before you use the advanced search options.

Using websites can be tricky. Ask these questions to get a sense for whether the website is reliable:

• Ask who is responsible for the information.
  Are they qualified to teach you? Why are they providing this information? Does someone take credit for the information by name? Can you contact them if you have questions?
• Ask whether the information is objective.
  Does it present both sides of an issue? Is it designed to persuade you? Does anything about the information seem fishy?
• Ask how current the information is.
  Is the site dated? Has it been updated recently enough to provide good information? Are there old or out of date links?

Digital Library of the Commons
Contains full-text research papers dealing with commons research, which includes such areas of study as agriculture, forest resources, water resources, wildlife, and much more.

NatureServe
Provides information about conservation and detailed local information on plants, animals, and ecosystems.  Covers the U.S., Canada, Latin American, and the Caribbean.

Science.gov
Provides links to websites (many of which are government websites) dealing with Energy & Energy Conservation, Environment & Environmental Quality, Natural Resources & Conservation, and more.

U.S. Geological Survey
The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

Zero Waste America
Contains information on reducing waste in America and links to websites dealing with disposal and recycling.