Transy Library: Education: On the Web

Databases vs. the Web

Just because something is available online, that doesn’t mean it is a website. Online subscription databases like those from EBSCO are available because the library has paid to have online access to their materials, which is often more convenient for students and researchers. The open web, however, is exactly the opposite. The information is freely available, but anyone can create and host a site without any regulation. Be cautious when using the open web.

Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate...

Authority
who has written this information? what credentials does this person/group have on this subject? Is your source credible? What is the reputation of the source or content author?

Source
who is responsible for the Web site? what organization is hosting (and paying to keep alive) this page?

Purpose
why does this site exist? why was it created? Who is the intended audience?

Accuracy
is the information accurate? can it be verified through another source? is the language objective and impartial or is it subjective and inflammatory? is the information or research documented?

Depth
how thoroughly is the topic covered? is it written for college level research? is the information sufficiently complete for your purposes?

Currency
when was the information on this page last updated?

Find Statistics

Statistical Abstract of the United States: Education
Data from the Census Bureau primarily concerning formal education as a whole, at various levels, and for public and private schools within the United States.
National Assessment of Educational Progress
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas.
Kids Count
Data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2007 KIDS COUNT Data Book are now available in our easy-to-use, powerful online database, "State Level Data Online", that allows you to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state data lists.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
From the U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education.
EdStats
International education data collected and analyzed by The World Bank.
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Source includes cross-nationally comparable statistics on education, science and technology, culture, and communication for more than 200 countries and territories.