SOUTH HADLEY, Mass., — Two Mount Holyoke College professors are turning to the Web, as opposed to methods such as traditional book publishing, to inform and influence public opinion. One advocates a new respect for government; the other poses tough tax questions for presidential candidates.

Professor of politics Douglas J. Amy, who recently put together the site governmentisgood.com, argues that we need government more than we like to admit. Given the negative image the public has of government and bureaucracy — only 29 percent of our population trusts the government to do what is right "always" or "most of the time" — Amy effectively reminds his readers why we have organized government and what it does for us when it's done right. He chose the Web over traditional publishing in effort to reach more people, and his site serves Web users of all ages as a reader-friendly refresher in high school civics. His work has drawn attention from area media and the blogosphere, with praise from The New York Times.

John O. Fox, a visiting associate professor of complex organizations, has taken a slightly different route to reach new readers and influence public debate. The author of 10 Tax Questions the Candidates Don't Want You to Ask, he recently posted an updated version of his 2004 publication on the Web at http://www.10taxquestions.com/ for this year's voters.

"There are two days this year when millions of adults play pivotal roles as Americans," says Fox. "The first is April 15, when you pay your taxes. The second is November 4, when you vote for the people you want to spend them."

Both Fox and Amy are effectively using the Web to reach beyond the Ivy Tower to change political perceptions among the public — exposing the general public to information and ideas once available only on campus.