The internet can be a great place for research. Google is quick and easy to use, links to vast amounts of free and current information, includes government sites, many research organisation, and specialist blogs.
The downside to Google is it does not discriminate and won't give the best results for academic information. Unlike the the Library's resources that are chosen for quality, you'll have to evaluate all information that you find on the Internet before you use it in your assignments.
When evaluating think about:
​Google Search Engine Tools
Searches scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines from journal articles, eBooks to conference papers. Items are ranks by citations. Recent and popular items are often restricted behind Publishers' pay-walls.
Student can use citations found in Google Scholar to search Library Search and access the full text if available.
Provides a sophisticated search interface to retrieve more specific results similar to the functionality of the library databases. You can use search operators (AND, OR, NOT) and other punctuation to get limited resulted rather than the million plus, typical of Google.
You can search within specific domains e.g. .ac.uk or websites: www.gov.uk.
Academy of Human Resource Development - The Academy of Human Resource Development (ARHR) encourage the study of Human Resource Development (HRD) theories, processes, and practices. ARHR disseminates information about HRD (conference papers, a monthly Digest, and Wedvast); encourage the application of HRD research findings; and provide opportunities for social interaction among individuals with scholarly and professional interests in HRD from multiple disciplines and from across the globe.
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service - Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law.
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is the department for economic growth. The department invests in skills and education to promote trade, boost innovation and help people to start and grow a business.
Employee Benefits - Online trade publication. The magazine has analysis, news, case studies, and opinion.
Engage For Success - A voluntary organisation that promotes forward thinking about employee engagement, and provide evidence, case studies and points of view about how it drives performance and productivity to achieve organisational and individual growth.
Equality and Human Rights Commission - Independent statutory body established to help eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights and to build good relations. EHRC encourages a strong equality and human rights legal framework to protect people from discrimination and violations of their basic rights and freedoms.
E-reward.co.uk - Reward management research, courses & conferences E-reward.co.uk is a provider of reward management information through its web site, publications, research, conferences, training and executive pay database.
European Industrial Relations Observatory - The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist in the development of social and work-related policies.
European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) - The EMCC exists to develop, promote and set the expectation of best practice in mentoring and coaching across Europe and beyond, for the benefit of society.
Institute of Directors - A UK organisation for professional leaders, encouraging entrepreneurial activity and promoting responsible business practice for the benefit of the business community and society as a whole.
International Labour Organization - The U.N. agency brings together governments, employers and workers representatives of 187 member States , to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
Labour Research Department - The Labour Research Department is an independent research organisation which has been providing information for trade unionists for 100 years. Contains journal articles, latest pay and prices, inflation and unemployment figures, and commissioned research reports.
Personnel Today - The UK’s leading free-access HR website, brought to you by the publishers of XpertHR. Personnel Today continues the former weekly magazine’s rich heritage in independent coverage of the HR sector. It has easy-to-read, timely and relevant content, and guides practitioners toward other quality employment-related content on XpertHR and other publishers’ and bloggers’ web sites.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) - The professional body for HR and people development committed to championing better work and working lives. Through expertise and research CIPD provide a valuable point of view on the rapidly changing world of work, setting professional standards and providing the know-how to drive the HR and L&D professions forward.
Trades Union Congress - The Trades Union Congress ia an organisation that campaigns for trade union aims and values; assists trade unions to increase membership and effectiveness; cuts out wasteful rivalry; and promotes trade union solidarity.
UK Commission for Employment and Skills - UKCES are a publicly funded, industry-led organisation that offers guidance on skills and employment issues in the UK.
University Forum for Human Resource Development - The Forum is a non-profit making partnership that seeks to create, develop and inform leading-edge HRD theories and practices through an international network of universities, individuals and organisations promoting cooperative research initiatives, professionally-focussed qualifications and consultancy interventions.
WorldatWork - Human Resources Association - WorldatWork is a nonprofit human resources association for professionals and organizations focused on compensation, benefits, work-life effectiveness and total rewards; strategies to attract, motivate and retain an engaged and productive workforce. WorldatWork and its affiliates provide comprehensive education, certification, research, advocacy and community, enhancing careers of professionals.