The third edition of Alan Schlein's "Find It Online" not only
guides the researcher to the web's most interesting and exotic information
resources, but also acts as a hands-on tutorial for becoming a searching
expert.
Schlein writes in a conversational, but authoritative tone, reflecting his
background as an award-winning journalist. He devotes the first part of his
500-page book to searching tools and techniques–search engines, specialized
tools, and fee-based services. He also discusses exceptional content sites and
offers annotated links to some of the best resources on the Web.
He also devotes entire chapters to government sources online, public
records, news resources, and business tools. Another chapter illustrates how
to use these sources with example searches.
Readers will also find chapters on credibility, authority of online
resources, managing and filtering information, evaluating accuracy, a look at
online privacy, and the steps researchers can take to protect
their own personal information. Schlein offers sidebars written by
contributing experts, offering further insight into a wide range of topics.
Schlein focuses much of his book on preparing for a search, a topic often
overlooked by other searching tutorials. He advises readers who need to go
deep into a subject to create their own detailed plan of attack before they
begin their search to avoid wasted hours searching in all the wrong places and
running into dead-ends.
I particularly liked the "hot tips" that are scattered throughout
the book. These are small bits of wisdom Schlein has picked up from years of
experience searching and teaching. Some tips are technical pointers, others
are cautionary notes for avoiding trouble with tough searching problems.
The third edition of the book expands and updates the previous editions,
and adds a more global reach in coverage. For those readers who own an earlier
edition, the third edition is a worthwhile upgrade for both the new
information and updated links.
Find It Online is a useful reference guide for novice and experienced
searchers alike.
Travel
guidebooks have been travelers’ silent companions ever since the first
Baedeker Guide appeared in bookstores in the 19th century. Now Web
researchers have a guidebook just as thorough as any Baedeker.