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Step 1
First, don't give up on Google (or Yahoo, Microsoft, Ask.com, etc) too soon. Three useful techniques for fine-tuning a search are (a) Try new keywords. If a search on [ global warming ] didn't find what you need, perhaps [ greenhouse gas ] will do the trick. (b) Put quotes around search terms to find an exact phrase. A search on [ robert alan frank ] gives 36 million results, while a search on "robert alan frank" turns up 17. (c) Add specifics. A search on [ "robert alan frank" thesis ] gives only two very well-targeted results.
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Step 2
Next, make sure you don't forget about Google's other terrific search tools: images, news (current), news archives (historical), groups, and blogs (just to hit the main ones!). Links are included in Resources, below. News (covers the past month or so) is great for finding that article you *know* you saw last week, but can't quite remember where, while News Archives can take you back to the 1700's (great for family history searches). Once I was Googling for a graph, couldn't find it, and suddenly went "D'oh! A graph is an image!" A Google Image search found what I needed in seconds.
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Step 3
The Steps below aren't really steps, per se. They're just pointers to useful search tools for a number of topics -- business, history, family ancestors, and general research. One (or more) might be just the thing you need.
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Step 4
BUSINESS (links are in Resources, below). Yahoo Finance Search is a great tool for general company information. Think you're being scammed?...the Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives a fast way to check a company's complaint history. XooxleAnswers.com has a great Top Ten list of free business search tools, including some free Dun & Bradstreet information.
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Step 5
HISTORY (links are in Resources, below). Google News Archives is worth repeating...history back to 18th century. The Library of Congress is another great resource for US history that has a lot of stuff Google won't find.
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Step 6
GENEALOGY (links are in Resources, below). Two must-visit family history sites are FamilySearch.org and the Ellis Island immigration database. Just enter a first and last name of the person you're looking for, and your search has begun...you may be very surprised at what you find.
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Step 7
GENERAL RESEARCH (links are in Resources, below). Bartleby.com has a host of excellent reference materials, including a dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus and books of quotations. Both Amazon.com and Google Books lets you search inside books, providing a wealth of hidden information (even if it does come in small snippets at a time).
Comments
jimdris said
on 4/7/2008 Great information - thanks!