Published SF&Fantasy Workshop newsletter, June 2002
Using the Internet for Research: A Basic Primer
by
Ron Vitale
When I was younger, I used to go to the library and use the card catalogue to look up a book. Now, I sit in front of my computer and use the Internet to help me find the material I need. Before I go any further: I suggest that the Internet be used as a tool and not as an all-powerful medium for all your research needs. I still believe in the power of a library and a librarian. I am not suggesting that we turn our backs on the institution of the library.
For those of you who are not familiar with using the Internet, here is a classic primer: Turn your computer on, and connect to the Internet via an Internet Service Provider such as AOL, MSN, or your DSL or cable modem. Once connected, load up your Web browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape are the most popular these days), and in the address portion (through which you’ll type in a Website’s address), type in: http//:www.google.com There are thousands of search engines, but for this exercise I chose the Google search engine because of its great speed. Other search engines are: AltaVista (www.altavista.com), Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com), and Mamma (www.mamma.com).
After the Google site loads, try some basic searches and see the results. As an example, let’s try looking up the term “stars.” On the main Google.com page, type in “stars” in the search box and then click on the “Google search” button. In approximately 0.08 seconds later, the first ten results (out of 14,700,000) are returned on the Webpage. When you review the results and the links, notice that only some of the links have to deal with “stars” in space. The results are rather divided among various terminologies. Instead of having to look through 14,700,000 Webpages, hit the back button on your Web browser, and narrow the search.
This time type in two terms: “stars” and “astronomy.” After you hit the “Google search” button, notice that the search took approximately 0.07 seconds and there are only 578,000 results. By narrowing the field of terms, you can obtain more detailed information. But for our purposes, this information is still too generic. Try the search again and type in: “stars,” “astronomy,” and “red.” The searched is again narrowed to 154,000 Webpages that contain those terms. Finally, try searching for: “stars,” “astronomy,” “red,” and “Betelguese.” Notice that the search is narrowed down to only 199 results. To review the results, scroll down and then click on the link that you think will help you obtain the information you need. Be aware that some of the links will be professional sites while others might be Websites created by individuals. In the example used here, notice that some of the links end in “edu” or “org.” Normally, universities or non-profit organizations have a Website that ends in those letters. The information typically found on these sites will be more trustworthy.
Depending on the type of information you are looking for, beware of outdated information. Many Webpages do not have dates stating when the material was posted. Searching the Web for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. Be sure to question the data you find. Just because you found the material on the Web does not mean that the data are accurate or true. Try to cross-check your data with other Websites or verify it at a local library.
Once you test using the simple searches above, be more daring by going to www.google.com and clicking on the “Advanced Search” link to the right of the search field. With an Advanced Search, you can search for an exact phrase, a certain file type, or even for a particular term on a certain Website (this might come in handy if you’re looking for a news item on www.cnn.com).
Utilizing the Internet to access the information you need is easy, fast, and can be extremely efficient. But why stop there? Let’s experiment a bit and utilize other resource tools on the Internet to help you find information. A good site to obtain trustworthy information is the Encyclopedia Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/ Searching appears to be limited on the free site, but if you’re serious about research, paying $9.95 a month for the service might be worth it. When you visit the Encyclopedia’s site, notice that there are search fields for a Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus. Both can be extremely handy tools while writing. (Another useful site to look up the spelling and meanings of words is Dictionary.com: http://www.dictionary.com.) If you need to research recent news, there’s always Time.com (http://www.time.com/time/) or Newsweek.com (http://www.msnbc.com/news/NW-front_Front.asp). The sites that I have listed here are basic, simple sites to get you started.
More advanced searchers might wish to search through the Usenet archives of the last twenty years. What’s the Usenet? I didn’t know the full definition so I went to Webopedia.com (http://www.webopedia.com/), a great encyclopedic resource for tech terms, and typed in “Usenet” and discovered that it is: “A worldwide bulletin board system that can be accessed through the Internet or through many online services. The USENET contains more than 14,000 forums, called newsgroups, that cover every imaginable interest group. It is used daily by millions of people around the world.” I have said this once, but I will say it again: Beware. Information found in the Usenet and in newsgroups is normally compiled by everyday people. How can the Usenet be useful? I often use the newsgroups to post a question. Fellow Internet users read my question and then choose to reply to me with the answer through the newsgroup. Once I visited the “Muppets” newsgroup and wanted to know which songs were played at Jim Henson’s funeral. Two days later someone saw my question and answered it. (I later verified the information from a second source to be certain, but the songs were correct.) Searching the Usenet can be a powerful tool, but you need to be careful.
The fact that you can use the newsgroups to find answers to your many questions is amazing. But Google takes this one step further. They advertise that: “Google offers the complete 20-year Usenet Archive with over 700 million messages.” For free! Popular use of the Internet, as we know it, has only been around since around 1995. Being able to search through 20-year old messages posted in the Usenet before the advent of the Internet can be extremely useful. Out of curiosity, I visited http://groups.google.com/ and then clicked on the “Google offers complete 20-year Usenet Archive with over 700 million messages” link. Listed here are the first postings in the Usenet of topics such as “First Mention of Microsoft,” “First Thread about AIDS,” and even more recent listings such as “First Thread After the Terrorist Attacks.” Not only can you use the Usenet to obtain information, you can also travel back in time and capture a people’s feeling at the time of an event.
The Internet can help you with research and is a powerful tool. Learning how to utilize this tool effectively, can save you time and increase your knowledge. Doing research has never been easier!
