Hi everyone, I am working as a research analyst in a laboratory that deals with developments in the area of plants and nature. I have to look on the net to assist me in my research but as I don’t access it frequent I find it difficult to get the right things online. Can anyone help me to find any kind of tool that will help me to get results better and faster?

learn how to use Google and all of the advanced features on Google.  Also find out if there are any forums or discussion groups pertaining to the type of research you do online, again you may find this in Google.

Lastly at times there are professional online journals with searchable databases.  Google may find this for you as well but make no mistake "googling" is a skill to be learned and there's more to it than would meet the eye at first.  Learn how to develop your key word searches.

If you need a search engine for research purposes, be sure to check out Google Scholar. 

You may also benefit from a quick course in Information Literacy.  These courses specifically teach you how to get the most out of your web searches.  Penn Foster College has a good one credit course on Information Literacy, and it should only cost about $55 to take it. Some of the same information can also be found here. 

 There are also sites like Dogpile.com, which return search results from multiple search engines, not just Google. 
 

Terry has better advice than me.  I'm a Google master though with a triple blackbelt....so I go to what I know.

brian:

Hi everyone, I am working as a research analyst in a laboratory that deals with developments in the area of plants and nature. I have to look on the net to assist me in my research but as I don’t access it frequent I find it difficult to get the right things online. Can anyone help me to find any kind of tool that will help me to get results better and faster?

You may want to consider a subscription to ProQuest, which has online article databases and related services.  Universities often use them for offering online library services.

-=Steve=- 

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Hi Brian:

Have you tried Questia - www.questia.com?   They have  Search the entire text of 67,000 books and 1.5 million articles 
Remember to tell them I'm your Questia Friend!


                  shavanni                  
My Questia username

Questia offers a free trial too!

 

Another option is www.studytactics.com

Melissa 

 

 

I have always used Google and I have never been dissapointed.

SamKrening:

I have always used Google and I have never been dissapointed.

Unfortunately, Google only covers English and a few other languages. For a Cebuano speaker like me, I have to rely on known online forums, blogs, Yahoo groups, and online contacts.