 |  | | By Shannon Price | | |  | | These days, the Internet is often the first port of call when researching. It’s quick, easy and as we all know, offers an abundance of information on every topic imaginable. But there’s no doubt that we’ve all set out to research a topic, only to find the day has passed us by and we’re no closer to finding the information we want. | | | Don’t despair! There are some useful techniques to help you find the information you need, whether it be for a school assignment, your next holiday or just because you want to know more about a particular subject! | |
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| | 1. | Be clear about your topic. The more specific you are the more likely it is you’ll find what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for accommodation in Hong Kong, then be clear about this; otherwise you could end up with information on the history and culture of Hong Kong instead. | | 2. | Think about the key words you’ll use when searching. Search engines use ‘spiders’ that trawl pages to find your keywords within Web sites. If you use more specific keywords, it’s less likely you’ll have thousands of pages to read. Generally speaking, if the first two or three results are not helpful, you might consider refining your keywords. | | 3. | Set a time period for your research. How much are you willing to invest in this project? If you don’t have an idea of time in mind, you can easily waste hours looking for information. |
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| | | Pulling the information together | | | Whether it is an assignment on ancient Egypt, planning a holiday to Germany or finding out about different breeds of dogs, you need to decide how you will keep track of the information you collected. | | | Some people cut and paste the information they need into word processing documents, others save the Web sites into their ‘Favourites’ folder, some people do both of these, plus jot notes down in their notepads. | | | Whatever you decide to do, make sure you keep everything together, whether it’s in an electronic folder, a ring-binder or a plastic sleeve. Plus, take note of important information, such as the URL you’re at so you can easily find it again, and record the time and date you found it - information on the Internet is very transient, so what is there today might not be tomorrow. | | | Software programs are also available to help you keep all of your research notes in one, single location and if required, you can make them available for other people to review or add to. | | | Microsoft® OneNote® 2007 is digital notebook available with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007. It can help you get organised by bringing all of your critical content, including text, handwriting, images, Web clippings, computer files and even audio and video recordings, together into one easily searched location. | | | When it comes to Internet research, OneNote will record the URL, the time and date you retrieved the information, and it includes a translation tool – allowing you to extend your search to non-English Web sites. If your research goes beyond the Internet, you can store notes from books, sound clips from interviews, data from other Microsoft Office programs, and other bits and pieces you find along the way. Once you are satisfied with the research you have compiled, OneNote can then help you organise the information in a more coherent document. | | | >> Find out more about OneNote and test drive Office Home and Student 2007 today with a complimentary trial. | | | Other tips for Internet research | | | In addition to time-saving and information-collating techniques, there are a couple of other tips to keep in mind: | | | 1. | Always attribute your sources. Plagiarism is a huge concern for Internet authors, so if you’re writing a school or Uni assignment, always give credit where credit is due. Just like you would if you were using books or journals. |  | | 2. | Beware of inappropriate content. If your child is using the Internet as a research tool, always keep a close eye on them and the Web sites they come across. | | 3. | Don’t believe everything you read! One of the best things about the Internet can also be one of the worst – just about everyone can contribute to the content. As any good researcher would do, don’t rely on one source for information and always double check your facts. |
| | Presenting your research | |  Depending on the information or project you are researching, will determine how you present your information. Many documents already have set conventions that you should follow. If you’re looking for templates for various documents and presentations, check out the Office Online Web site. They have a load of templates to help you construct everything from reports and presentations, to newsletters and e-mails. | |  | | Top of page | |
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