Websites
Using the Web
Many resources are available on the open web. See our tips for evaluating websites and lists of relevant societies.
Sociological Associations
- American Sociological Association
The American Sociological Association (ASA), founded in , is a non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific discipline and profession serving the public good.
- Rural Sociological Association
The RSS is a professional social science association that promotes the generation, application, and dissemination of sociological knowledge. The Society seeks to enhance the quality of rural life, communities, and the environment. This website is intended to serve all those interested in rural people and places.
- International Sociological Association
The goal of the ISA is to represent sociologists everywhere, regardless of their school of thought, scientific approaches, or ideological opinion, and to advance sociological knowledge throughout the world.
Historical Associations
- American Historical Association
The American Historical Association is a nonprofit membership organization founded in and incorporated by Congress in for the promotion of historical studies. The AHA provides leadership for the discipline by protecting academic freedom, developing professional standards, supporting scholarship and innovative teaching, and helping to sustain and enhance the work of historians.
- Historical Association
We bring together people who share an interest in, and love for the past and to further the study and teaching and enjoyment of history in all guises and forms: Professional, public and popular.
- Oklahoma Historical Society
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people.
Read Websites Critically
Anyone can publish anything on the internet.
Use the Spider Method to ensure that your internet sources are appropriate for your research.
- Source
Who wrote the information? Is he qualified? If you can’t find an author, you shouldn’t trust the information until you verify it elsewhere.
- Purpose
Why does this website exist? Is it intended to sell a product or convince readers of something? Can you detect any bias?
- Information
Is the information current? Check for a publication date. If there isn’t one, you need to verify currency with another source.
- Domain
Be aware of the host site. Is the domain .edu or .gov? These domains sometimes have more authoritative or reliable information.
- Educational
Who is the intended audience? Is there adequate depth to the information? Are you sure it’s not a hoax site or satire?
- Reliability
Is the same information available on other websites? Triangulate with other sources to improve the chance of getting complete or accurate information.