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Get Your Articles Published: The internet

by Lesley Bown and Ann Gawthorpe

For writers, the internet is an Aladdin’s cave, full of information, opportunities and an endless supply of ideas. At the touch of a fingertip, it is possible to find out virtually anything – from what the weather was like in March 1948 to the latest experiments in nanotechnology.

However, the information needs to be treated with a degree of caution. Most of what has been uploaded is genuine and accurate, some may be less so and a small amount may be deliberately misleading. In line with good research practice, try to find primary sources. Corroborate what you have found on one website by looking for the same information on several more, but be aware that the same misinformation may occur in all of them.

Use the internet to find new outlets for your material. These can range from e-magazines to competitions as well as specialist websites where you can register as a freelancer.

Also you need never run out of ideas for articles – just start browsing and see where the links take you.

Finally remember, just like books, information and photos on the internet are copyright and cannot be downloaded and used just as they are without permission. However, you can rewrite the information you have researched in your own words, provided it is in the public domain and not original research by the author.
 



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