How do I find information about people on the Internet?

You can use a search engine, such as Google or DuckDuckGo, to find information about a person. The type of information you find online will depend on how famous the person is, and whether they are an academic. You should be able to find more resources than just Wikipedia.

Here are some strategies you can use to find reliable information on the Internet:

Famous people

If the person is famous or of historical importance, you'll probably find some websites about them on the Internet. Simply search using their name.

Look for results that are produced by educational institutions (these should have .edu websites) or other reputable sources.

Scholars

Some of the most influential scholars and theorists will have informational websites produced by educational institutions.

Working scholars will often have personal webpages on their university websites.

The average academic won't have a lot of personal information available online, but you may be able to find information about their educational and professional lives, such as degrees and publication lists.

Searching for the person's name may not be enough information for a search engine to find the right websites.

Try combining the name with the institution where they work, the field they work in, or with terms like "curriculum vitae" (an academic form of resume).

For example:

Robert Kegan Harvard University

Robert Kegan CV or curriculum vitae

More Information:

• How do I find biographical information about people?
• How do I use the Library search to find information about a person?
• How do I find biographies?
• How do I find biographical information in encyclopedias?
• Evaluating Resources Guide
   

Do you have other questions about finding biographical information?  Ask a Librarian!