Workshop Given by Robin Nobles on
June 22, 1998
No doubt about it--the Internet is bulging with information on any topic imaginable. But how do you find it? The Net's sheer size is enough to make you throw up your hands and drive to the nearest library.
In order to conduct research on the Net, the first thing you need to do is get acquainted with a search engine or two and learn how to use them. Conduct a few searches and see what you find. Narrow it down a little and search again. Search one engine, then search another and compare. But you need to feel comfortable with how to use a search engine and have a little time to try it out.
What *is* a search engine? A search engine is a program on the Internet that will actively look for information for you. You simply tell it what you need, and it dives into the nooks and crannies of the Net and spits out the results.
One of the easiest search facilities to use is Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com/). You can either do a blanket search by typing in a keyword(s), or you can narrow the search down by going to a particular category. If you're searching for something that contains more than one word (for example: science fiction), put quotation marks around the phrase to keep the search engine from searching for each word separately:
"science fiction"
Let's say you want to conduct a search to see what types of plants thrive in Africa. Conduct a "Boolean" search, using parameters (or search guides) like this:
elephant AND Africa
I have a software program that searches the Net for me. It's called WebFerret, and it's the next best thing to blue M&M's. You can download a *free* version of WebFerret, which is what I used for years. Or, if you're a heavy-duty searcher like me, consider investing in the Pro version, which is what I use now.
WebFerret searches through the top search engines for you, then compiles the data. The Pro version contains more "bells and whistles," but the free version is almost as good.
A very detailed site for how to research on the Internet is Internet Research for Writers. You'll find step by step instructions on how to find what you're looking for.
What if you need to ask a question of an expert in a particular field? The Noble Internet Directories provides instant access to thousands of listings that contain information about experts, spokespersons, and consultants in all fields.
Ready Reference Using the Internet provides an unbelievable amount of information on just about any topic you can imagine, from adoption to digestive disorders to Social Security.
A site that's truly phenomenal is Martindale's 'The Reference Desk.' The site contains links to maps, dictionaries, science tables, electronic data, entertainment, medical centers, college studies--you name it.
Research-It! is your one-stop reference desk that offers search facilities for just about anything. It features language translations, Bible lookup, maps, facts, and much more.
Study WEB features over 15,000 research quality links, in categories such as health and medical, history and culture, geography, and business.
Wired Cybrarian is Wired Magazine editors' guide to research on the Net. "If you're looking for information - hard facts, companies, people, breaking news, government data, Web page design specs, images, scientific research, books, games, stock prices, zines," you'll find it here.
A fabulous source of information to help in your research is Writers Free Reference Desk, where you'll find copyright information, quotations, links to newspapers, maps, ancient literature, and links to Internet libraries.
Encyberpedia, a Living Encyclopedia, provides an enormous subject listing of items such as medicine, sports, biographies, fact books, legal, and government.
Follow these links for additional pages from the workshop:
You Can Find *THAT* On the Internet?!
Back to Beginning of Workshop on How Writers Can Use the Internet
Back to General Writing Resources
Back to Newsletters and Lists for Writers
Back to Main Page of Robin's Nest for Writers
Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at smslady@netdoor.com.