Internet Images

How to Find Internet Images

Though facts are certainly the most important part of a research goal, you might also need to have images to support those facts. While you might be able to recreate some images or you might be able to describe your idea without having a picture alongside it, it is actually more effective in your research to have a clear image.

There are a number of ways you can find images online, many of which will allow you to have the perfect image for your report needs.

Here are some sources for online images:

Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com/

Fotosearch http://www.fotosearch.com/

NYPL Picture Collection http://digital.nypl.org/mmpco/

Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/pictures/

iStockphoto http://www.istockphoto.com/

These sites will allow you to browse through pictures to find the right image for your needs.

In order to use these sites effectively, follow these tips:

Have a strong keyword in mind. To limit the images you find in your search, make sure you begin with a strong keyword in mind. This will help you find only the pictures associated with what you need in your research.

Look at more than one site. Though it is tempting to choose one photo site and only find images there, you will be able to find more photos and more relevant photos with a wider search.

Pay for images that suit your report. You cannot simply use images without paying or them or asking the photographer for permission. Make sure you review the guidelines of the site before you use a photo in any way outside of your personal use.

Speak with the photographer. Whenever possible, speaking with the graphic artist or photographer can help you learn more about whether you are choosing the right image for your needs.

You can also use other sites to help you find images. Google Images is a feature that is a function of the Google search engine, and other search engines offer this ability as well.

Like searching for certain Web pages, the more keywords you can use when searching for images, the more relevant results you will find.

You can use these images to:

support your research information;

identify certain animals, people, or places;

showcase pieces of artwork;

show changes in land.

These images are a helpful part of research papers as well as presentations, especially when concepts you describe may not be familiar to the group.

Researching means not only finding information that can be used by those who hear it, but it also means finding all of the supportive information a person needs in order to fully understand what you are describing and reporting.

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