For Articles & Research Papers:
* Google Scholar: An excellent starting point. While not a website itself, it aggregates research from many sources, including open access repositories and subscription databases. Crucially, it allows you to see citations and cited by counts, helping assess impact and credibility.
* PubMed (for biomedical literature): The National Library of Medicine's database is the gold standard for biomedical and health-related research.
* Web of Science: A comprehensive citation indexing service that provides access to a vast collection of scholarly articles across many disciplines. (Usually requires a subscription through a university or institution).
* Scopus: Similar to Web of Science, Scopus is another large, multidisciplinary citation database. (Usually requires a subscription).
* IEEE Xplore (for engineering and computer science): The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' digital library is a key resource for engineering and computer science research. (Usually requires a subscription).
* arXiv (for physics, mathematics, computer science, etc.): A preprint server where researchers share their work before formal publication. While not peer-reviewed, it's a valuable resource for cutting-edge research, particularly in STEM fields. Preprints should be treated with some caution until formally published and peer-reviewed.
* JSTOR: A digital library with a vast archive of academic journals, books, and primary sources across many disciplines. (Usually requires a subscription).
For Specific Disciplines (Examples):
Many professional organizations and societies maintain their own websites with access to journals and other scholarly materials relevant to their field. For example:
* American Psychological Association (APA): For psychology research.
* American Chemical Society (ACS): For chemistry research.
* American Economic Association (AEA): For economics research.
For Data & Datasets:
* Data.gov (US Government Open Data): A repository of publicly available datasets from US government agencies.
* Open Data portals: Many countries and cities maintain open data portals with various datasets.
* RePEc (Research Papers in Economics): A large repository of working papers and publications in economics.
General Tips for Evaluating Websites:
* Look for peer-reviewed articles: This means the work has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication.
* Check the author's credentials: Are they experts in the field? What are their affiliations?
* Assess the website's reputation: Is it associated with a reputable institution or organization?
* Look for citations and references: Credible sources will cite their sources.
* Be wary of websites with biased or overtly promotional language: Academic writing should be objective and evidence-based.
Remember to always critically evaluate the information you find online, regardless of the source. Using multiple sources and comparing their findings is a crucial aspect of academic research. If you are unsure about the reliability of a source, consult with a librarian or professor.