Cybersearch: Research Techniques in the Electronic Age (Reference)

More and more, researchers of all stripes turn to CD-ROMs and the Internet for their answers, but these searches often dissolve into lengthy and fruitless frustration sessions, yielding more headaches than rewards. John Butler's remarkably useful reference, CyberSearch, is appropriate for students, teachers, historians, writers, lawyers, librarians, doctors, and home browsers. Engaging, knowledgeable, and exceedingly readable, Butler's text covers the basics of hardware, software, and getting Internet access, what CD-ROMs offer, what research resources are available, and what they provide. From Books in Print to Tapping the Government Grapevine to The Internet Directory, Butler introduces a wonderful selection of resources that are worth adding to your list, if not to your personal library. Butler explores search strategies, introduces OPAC (online public access catalog) searches, and clarifies the use of e-mail, newsgroups, and telnet, navigators, gophers, and the World Wide Web. Butler's skillful exploration of research techniques and resources make it a fine first stop for any research project. --Stephanie Gold