Research
When you hear the word research, does it make you cringe? Do boring, tedious, time-consuming activities come to mind? It doesn't have to be that way. Research can and should be an exciting, intriguing journey — an exploration of the unknown where at the end of the trail you have amassed a treasure of knowledge. At least, that's how it can be and there are numerous venues for you to employ in this quest.
Despite the convenience, breadth, and scope of the Internet, you should not dismiss what the traditional brick-and-mortar library has to offer. You will generally find reference librarians eager to provide support, and you can save much time by having them assist you and steer you in the right direction.
Your local library, where you have access to journals, magazines, and books as well as online resources, is an excellent place to begin your research. However, you should also consider university and college libraries for more advanced research, although admittance for the general public is sometimes limited.
Naturally, there is no substitute for the Internet regarding convenience and the number of sources to be had. However, you must take care concerning the sources you utilize. Nonetheless, conducting a search of your subject or employing a keyword will instantly provide you with numerous sites to examine where you can gather the information you require. There are, however, a number of sites that are particularly useful for a writer conducting research, several of which are:
Many editors restrict the number of Internet sources that may be cited in a work or how much web research can be relied upon. The reason for this restriction is that, for the most part, anyone can place anything on the Internet. You should always investigate the legitimacy and respectability of any source you use on the Internet.
