While not a true academic resource, Wikipedia is a good starting point that gives you an overview of a topic. Many times, reliable references are cited in the Wikipedia articles.
Google returns results that are only as good as your search. Become a better Googler by learning these 15 tips and tricks.
When consulting freely available web sources, keep in mind that anyone with a little time, some knowledge, and small amount of money can publish on the Internet. Even Homer!
Carefully evaluate all sites for authority, currency, and accuracy using the CRAAP test.