Following are some methods and sources you can use to the search for online information. As the Internet is so decentralized and vast, you don’t need to solely rely on Google for your research.
Despite what people might tell you, finding online information is quite easy.
For your internet research you can use:
- The Search Engines
A search engine can point you to the general direction and can very helpful if you don’t have any leads. - Wikipedia
Wikipedia is the most comprehensive and most popular online encyclopedia, and a great start for each online research. - Directories
Directories allow you to find niche-specific information. However, they don’t have the same wealth of information as the search engines, and you may miss out on a lot of data. - Article Directories
Many experts share their knowledge for free on article directory websites. You will find a lot of answers to frequently asked questions by reading their articles, for example on Ezine Articles. - Forums
If you have a specific question, you can search for an online forum where like-minded people talk about the subject you are researching. You can then become a member of the forum and ask your question. Go to BigBoard.com for an extensive list of online forums. - Government Websites
Depending on what you are looking for, government publications may be a great source. Most, if not all governmental agencies publish a ton of useful online data and information as part of their services. - Online Archives
This is where your search may start to become very interesting – you can find many excellent information resources in online archives like The Way Back Machine or news archives of the big newspapers. Most of them have started creating online portals, and you can search their archives.