Improving World Wide Web and library research [for engineering students]

In conducting reviews of pertinent literature and obtaining background material for research and design projects, students currently demonstrate an admirable knack for obtaining information using the World Wide Web. What they are not demonstrating, though, are critical analysis skills in assessing these sources. Also, students seem to feel that the World Wide Web is a complete source, and use library resources for only a search of the online "card catalogue", if at all. In this paper, the authors discuss current trends in the use of the World Wide Web for research and methods to insure the validity of the sources. Techniques to make students aware of the appropriate use of the Web are presented. Finally, they discuss the other library resources that students should be using and how to make them aware of these.