Research is key to finding reliable information, supporting arguments, and enriching our content with relevant or interesting facts, examples, or insights. Furthermore, if we get it right, as writers, we have the opportunity to be seen as having some measure of expertise in our respective areas.
Conversely, incorrect quotes, facts or (yes, it’s been done) errant, random ideas that just pop out of our heads and onto a manuscript page can have the potential to kill our credibility completely.
That makes it pretty important to get our facts, quotes, and other info right. Here are a few helpful sites that we can use to snoop around and check information:
Information Please Almanac: www.infoplease.com
Online almanac offering millions of interesting and useful facts on a wide variety of subjects
Internet Public Library: www.ipl.org
Over 20,000 titles
Library of Congress: www.loc.gov
Easy to use reference catalog for accessing all collections
National Archives: www.archives.gov
Online directory of U.S. Federal records
Smithsonian Institution: www.si.edu
World’s largest museum complex and research organization
U.S. Census Bureau: www.census.gov
Basic information about the U.S. broken down on national, state, and local levels
Be savvy! Write smart! Get out there and get snoopy!
Blessings on your research,
Melanie Stiles
centralhoustoniwa.com 
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