There are a number of reliable educational and current event resources available on the Web that are excellent sources of ideas for selecting research topics. Keep in mind that because of the open nature of the Web, many resources vary in quality.

For a list of resources and guides prepared by UB librarians including reliable and relevant Web resources, go to Resources by Subject. For a list of Web reference sources that are selected by UB librarians, go to the Web Reference. For information on evaluating Web Sites, go to Research Tips: How to Evaluate Web Sites. For a list of selected search engines, go to Internet Search Engines: How to Find What You Want On the World Wide Web.

Listed below are Web sources to that may provide idea for topics on current events.

• Brookings Institute
  (http://www.brook.edu/)
  Private organization devoted to public policy issues at the national level. Provides access to research, commentary, working papers, periodical articles, and interview transcripts. Areas of knowledge include economics, foreign policy, and government.

• C-Span.org
  (http://www.c-span.org/)
  The online companion to C-SPAN (Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network), a private, nonprofit cable company created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a public service. Provides public access to the political process including up-to-date information on House and Senate activity, legislative sessions, committee proceedings, and interviews with major political figures of the day.

• NPR Online
  (http://www.npr.org/)
  The online companion to National Public Radio news. NPR News provides high quality, non-profit, and non-commercial publicly supported radio news and information programming. Provides in-depth news and features with interviews and commentary.

• PBS Online
  (http://www.pbs.org/)
  Companion site to PBS, a private, non-profit media enterprise owned and
  operated by the nation's 349 public television stations. PBS provides non-commercial programs and specials on various subject matters including current news, history, arts and humanities, and science and technology.

• World Wide Web Virtual Library
  (http://www.vlib.org/)
  The oldest catalog of the web, the WWVL is run by volunteers who compile pages of key links for particular areas in which they are expert.