Web-Based Conflict Research Tutorials

Now that you have tapped into the vast storehouse of information that the Internet provides, you may be a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available, and intimidated by the various perspectives on land use, growth, and urban sprawl. As a result, you may not have a clear answer as to whether you will be packing your bags (and snowshoes) to work on the State of Colorado's initiative for combating growth- and sprawl-related disputes, whether this work is well suited for you, your values, and your interests, and whether your work would aid in resolving (or perhaps escalating) the conflict. Your next task is to discover which information is the best suited and of adequate quality for your current needs and objectives.

Firsthand information is likely the most reliable and useful. However, because you cannot travel all over the country or world to seek out the information you need, you will need to locate the best sources available, given time, money, and geographic constraints. Although there are no hard and fast rules about finding the best or most reputable information for your search, there are some general factors to consider before you spend too much time looking in the wrong or inappropriate places. (See Table 2.)

The first question you must ask yourself is: What exactly am I looking for? By not asking this question, you may spend a considerable amount of time sifting through information that is irrelevant or peripheral to the conflict.

Assignment: Finding the Right Sources

• Read Table 2.
• Find three books pertaining to urban sprawl by using a library or online bookstore search engine).
• Search CRInfo.org for three articles or essays, three websites, and three organizations about urban growth conflicts.
• Search BeyondIntractability.org for one or more articles/essays on topics relevant to urban growth conflicts.
• Supersites (also called libraries, databases, information sources, or resource pages) are large, comprehensive websites with a variety of detailed resources on a particular issue, topic, or conflict. Try to Locate two or three of these Internet supersites pertaining to your conflict (i.e. if looking for supersites with information on urban sprawl or growth, search for general growth supersites first, by searching for "urban sprawl supersite" or "growth conflict resources". Then, begin searching for supersites pertaining to more specific dimensions of your conflict — searching, for example, for "Colorado growth resources", (assuming that more specific sites exist). Note: it is possible that supersites for your particular topic may not yet be available via the Internet.
• Which of these sources provided the best information for your search? Why?

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