Although this Dummies book is in the typical informal and irreverent beginner's style, even the most competent searcher will find it invaluable. Author Reva Basch has written the gold standard for books about online research. Wired magazine calls her "the ultimate intelligent agent" for a very good reason. Basch doesn't just give you information on search engines and how to use them. She takes you into the mindset of a professional Net cybrarian, sharing the essential truth about online research. (There is a huge difference between surfing and searching.) In chapters such as "Thinking and Working Like a Researcher," you learn what to do when presented with 42,178 hits--or worse, no hits at all--when using a search engine. Even when you hit pay dirt, Basch explains the importance of evaluating the information you find to make sure it's relevant and accurate.

Basch covers specialty search engines, subject-based catalogs, reference sites, online libraries, and for-pay information services. She takes you to the places where the experts hang out in newsgroups, mailing lists, and online conferencing systems. One especially helpful chapter deals with the mysteries of researching government, medical, and sci-tech information online. The discussion then moves to business-related research, online publications, and many other resources. Then she reveals that sometimes you have to go offline to get what you need and includes helpful print sources.

This terrific volume concludes with the famous Dummies "Part of Tens," including Ten Timeless Truths about Search Engines and Ten Clarifying Questions for Better Research Results. The accompanying CD-ROM has three bonus chapters: "Life Choices," about using the Net to find information on finding a college, a car, a job, and other necessities; "Recreational Interests: Hobbies, Interests, and Leisure-Time Pursuits"; and "Ten Simple Tune-ups for Streamlined Searching." A bonus section on Boolean searches contains one of the better discussions of that misunderstood subject. --Elizabeth Lewis


USA Today, June 27, 2000
"Researching Online For Dummies" was recommended in an article on "cyber sleuthing."


Technical Communication, Third Quarter 1999, Vol 46, No. 3
"I've logged on, sent e-mails, played solitaire, and surfed the Net. Then I opened 'Researching Online For Dummies' and, like Alice, fell into a strange and wonderful new land. Now I understand that there is much more to the Internet and Web than my Internet provider has ever shown me. [It] is so comprehensive it goes beyond researching to become a 'how to get the most' from your computer book."


Toronto Computes!, September 1999
"The strengths of this particular book is that it provides a balance between giving the reader some helpful wisdom about the rigours of disciplined research work, and then delving into the specifics of concrete research topics"


San Diego Union-Tribune, October 13, 1998
"Researching Online For Dummies...is simply the best book available on Internet researching."


Austin Chronicle, November 20, 1998
"In addition to being a kick-ass guide for researchers, [it] is an excellent guide to the Internet from the perspective of the information junkie."


Microtimes, April 25, 2000
"...both excellent and current. Anyone who wants to conduct online research should immediately get this volume."


Book Description
Whether you're beginning a college thesis or searching for a new toaster, Researching Online For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is your key to finding the information you need -- online and anytime. This book helps you develop a multitiered research strategy using keywords and index terms to dive deep into the sources found on the Web...Explore the mental tools and online resources successful researchers rely on every day.Take a look at the online world that goes beyond the Internet.Familiarize yourself with search engines, indexes, quick reference aids, and other online professional services you can access from your computer.See how Boolean searching and other power-search tips and techniques can greatly aid your research.Apply these search techniques to real-life research situations.Get acquainted with some of the best -- and best-hidden -- resources in important subject areas, such as news, business, technology, and government information.Researching Online For Dummies, 2nd Edition, also offers a 30-page directory dedicated to describing selected research sites, services, and other useful online resources. The book's bonus CD-ROM includes search engine help files from Northern Light and Lycos as well as demo versions of Copernic, BullsEye, and WebWhacker.


Book Info
Packed with tips on using the latest search engines, a directory of top research sites, and loads of research tricks and shortcuts. Discover how to map out research projects, choose the best search tools, find answers fast, locate the latest information, and more. Softcover.


From the Publisher
For beginners, intermediate and experienced computer users new to a topic who want to get in and "do" with the help of a clear, convenient reference.


From the Back Cover
"Simply the best book available on Internet searching." San Diego Union-Tribune Research tools plus links to all sites in the book on CD-ROM Includes advice on copyright, data quality, and other big issues Harness the specialized tools that research professionals use There's a world of information out there on the Internet — if you know how to find it. This acclaimed guide, now completely updated, shows you the way. Packed with tips on using the latest search engines, a handy directory of top research sites, and loads of research tricks and shortcuts, it explains how to zero in fast on the facts you need. all this on the bonus CD-ROM Search engine help files from Northern Light and Lycos Demo versions of Copernic, BullsEye and WebWhacker Trial versions of Webforia and Surfsaver PC running Windows 95 or later or a Mac running OS 7.55 or later; 16MB Ram; CD-ROM drive. See CD Appendix for details and complete system requirements. Plus leading Internet tools Discover how to: Map out your research project Choose the best search tools Find answers fast Navigate typical research scenarios Decide when to pay for information Locate the latest information Get smart! www.dummies.com


About the Author
Reva Basch, an Online magazine columnist, consultant, and "online legend" (Information Today), has been researching online since the 1970s. Mary Ellen Bates runs Bates Information Services and writes for EContents magazine.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
If you're ready to actually find what you're looking for on the Internet, read Researching Online For Dummies, Second Edition. Lead author Reva Basch is the Mark McGwire of online research, and new co-author Mary Ellen Bates isn't far behind (Sammy Sosa?) In this book, they share their best techniques—and if your time's worth anything, the book will pay for itself on Day One.

You'll start with a clear-eyed guide to "thinking and working like a researcher"—in particular, focusing your search, planning where to look first, and understanding what you still might not be able to find on the Web—at least, not for free. The authors cover the usual suspects (Yahoo! and its ilk) but go far beyond them, introducing specialized search engines, "ready reference" sources, industry-specific mega-sites, online libraries, and "gated information services" (some of which charge a pretty penny, others are free as a bird).

Need to do a trademark or patent search? Get an independent briefing on a company? Track down the latest medical treatments and procedures? Research colleges, cars, vacations? Basch and Bates show you how. There's also a CD-ROM with demos of the best online research software, plus direct hyperlinks to all the sites mentioned in the book. Why keep wasting time, when you can become a research expert with Researching Online For Dummies, Second Edition?

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Ever been caught in a maze of irrelevant Web links that draw you further and further away from the topic you were trying to research? Researching Online For Dummies shows you how to stay focused, find just what you need on the Net, and apply that information to the project you're working on.

Inside, find helpful advice on how to Choose the best search engine for your research project Use search tools specialized for your area of interest Link up with a virtual guru for guidance on your quest Get just what you need from online libraries, archives, and gated information services Tackle governmental cyberbureaucracy like a special agent Make the most of the business and investing data on the Web Verify your information, deal with copyright issues, and cite online resources properly

SYNOPSIS

The avalanche of information crowding the online world can be intimidating and overwhelming, or it can be a boon to online researchers. Now you can safely navigate the World Wide Web for all kinds of research projects, large or small, at work or at home -- with Reseaching Online For Dummies, a fast, fun, and friendly guide to do-it-yourself online fact-finding.

From the basics of online research through topics like choosing the right search engine, power searching tips and tricks, and finding the best -- and the best-hidden -- online resources, you can get up to speed quickly and easily with the sage advice and proven techniques in Reseaching Online For Dummies. Plus, the book's bonus CD-ROM includes both Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator Web browsers, along with an arsenal of Internet tools, utilities, and plenty of insight into researching colleges, job opportunities, online shopping, and pursuing hobbies of all interests and inclinations.

FROM THE CRITICS

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