There are a many advantages but also some disadvantages for a scholar
wishing to use internet sources.
Advantages.
- There are a wide variety of excellent sites which contain a wide variety of
secondary and primary documents. Internet sites tend to be extremely user
friendly and because of this it is generally very easy to find exactly what you
want.
- Internet sites can be accessed anywhere. There is no need to carry book or
weighty paperwork.
- The Internet is likely to be the way forwards. In time it would seem likely
that the majority of research will take place on computer so it is well worth
getting used to the technology
Disadvantages
- Though there are some very academic and scholarly websites there are also
many sites which are very inaccurate whilst posing as an authority. In many
cases these are easy to detect but not always. I would always advocate caution
if you find yourself relying on an opinion or fact shown on a website unless
you are entirely convinced of the quality of its content.
- The internet has become, for many, a modern day soap box with armchair
politicians telling you exactly what they think on any given subject. The
crusades, beause of its focus on religious conflict, naturally has attracted
many of these dubious commentators so websites, particularly of a highly
religious nature, should always be treated warily. This website has a short
review of every link featured and if there is any content of an unreliable or
highly biased nature it is flagged up.
- Many of the websites are not particularly in-depth. Only in a few cases do
websites offer more than an overview of the crusades. There are notable
exceptions to this but on the whole, the greatest strength of internet sites is
in giving a basic overview; not in giving a detailed examination.
- On sites which contain primary sources there are several cases where the
primary information shown comes from very old translations which have since
been updated. If you do want to use a primary source you have found on the
internet, always make sure that there is not a more modern edition.
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