Mastering Online Research: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective and Efficient Search Strategies (Paperback)

~ Maura Shaw (Author)
Key Phrases: conducting advanced searches, basic keyword search, online research skills, San Antonio, Library of Congress, Begin Your Research (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

FIND THE INFO YOU'RE AFTER

The Internet is a valuable research tool for anyone, but finding relevant, accurate information isn't always as easy as the click of a mouse. If you've found yourself at a dead end on the information superhighway, then let experienced researcher Maura Shaw show you the way.

Shaw takes you through the techniques and tools you need to find information ranging from historical data to medical information to images and videos. Screen shots of different pages enable you to follow along as Shaw explains the process of finding information. Simple explanations of technical terms and step-by-step instruction help you learn how to:

• Use bookmarks effectively
• Evaluate websites for relevancy, accuracy, and currency
• Use basic and advanced search features, such as Boolean operators
• Locate and access helpful reference websites
• Conduct market research to help with writing and publishing
• Know when you have enough information to stop researching
• Disinguish the differences between types of search engines

With the skills and knowledge found in this comprehensive guide, you'll be able to search the Internet with speed and accuracy in no time, so you spend less time digging for information and more time putting it to good use.

About the Author

Maura D. Shaw has worked as an editor in scholarly and academic publishing for thirty years (both in print and online publishing) and taught various courses on creative writing and historical research. She is a published writer of both fiction and nonfiction who uses the Internet continuously for research and inspiration, has worked in publishing as an editor for many years, and was instrumental in producing and refining the Encyclopedia Americana Online, including its hyperlinks and search tools.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books; 1 edition (July 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582974586
• ISBN-13: 978-1582974583
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #162,625 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #70 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Home Computing > Internet > Online Searching
  #80 in	Books > Reference > Education > Research

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teaches Critical Skills for Every Writer or Would-Be Writer, November 24, 2008

By	W. Terry Whalin "Publisher/ Editor / Writer" (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews

Effective research is one of the essentials for every writer or would-be writer. In MASTERING ONLINE RESEARCH, you can learn from a master researcher Maura Shaw. Whether you need some basics on using a bootlean operator to narrow your search (fully explained in the text) or need to learn advance search techniques, this comprehensive guide will give you the step-by-step insight.

It's too easy to neglect the range of possibilities with millions of pages of information online. This up-to-date resource will expand your research skills and help you save time while making effective use of the Internet. I learned a great deal from this book and plan to refer to it often in my own research and writing efforts. I recommend this well-done title.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Basics, April 26, 2009

By	Holly Gray (Redmond, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book will teach you many essentials to online research, all of which any researcher using the web as a primary tool for information should know. The book teaches the primary fundamentals we should know. What I've found and enjoy using this past year is a new service "Short Task" (http://www.shorttask.com )to outsource various types of online research due to its low cost, ease of use and access to a massive workforce.