Don't Just Surf: Effective Research Strategies for the Net, second edition

Citation

Houghton, J. (1999), "Don't Just Surf: Effective Research Strategies for the Net, second edition", Internet Research, Vol. 9 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/intr.1999.17209caf.005

Don't Just Surf: Effective Research Strategies for the Net, second edition

Don't Just Surf: Effective Research Strategies for the Net, second edition

Henniger, MaureenUniversity of New South Wales PressSydney1999$16.95 (Australia)ISBN 0868406562Available from UNSW Press, University of NSW, Sydney and through bookshops.

Why another book on searching the Internet when there are so many crowding the bookshelves? This was the author's question to herself in the preface to the first edition (1997). At that time, she answered with the claim that this book would be about effective Internet searching and, with this in mind, I set about testing its usefulness for myself, a novice and demonstrably ineffective searcher of this resource. The many excellent features I found in the first edition have been maintained in this new edition and some new content added including a section on purchasing information via the Web and on specialized subject search tools.

The book is structured as 17 bite-sized chapters on various topics and is written in user-friendly language; that is, the descriptions and explanations are understandable to the novice. Each chapter begins with an overview and there are several sets of exercises (answers provided) for practice. There are plenty of examples although I found the sample screen pages sometimes difficult to read because of the small print and shading. There is an excellent glossary of Internet terms and a short bibliography including useful references on advanced searching and on evaluation Web sites and information sources. The book's small size makes it very portable and its low price very affordable, both important features of any Internet guide, particularly for students.

The early chapters serve as an introduction to the Internet and World Wide Web; a brief history, main features (browsers, URLs), key points in using Netscape (bookmarking, printing, saving etc.), an explanation of the basics of electronic searching and the different types of resources available to access. The middle section of the book covers search tools (search engines, subject directories and guides) and search strategies ranging from browsing through broad subject searching to very specific searching. The author recognizes that finding the right information is only half the battle and devotes the final chapters to broader issues including strategies for organizing the information for present and future use (setting up subject categories) and for evaluating the quality of the information found. The book concludes with some general principles relating to copyright and citing Internet sources.

Obviously, a drawback to any Internet guide is that it will quickly date (the examples and exercises in this edition are based on Netscape Navigator Version 4.0). However, the book's value lies in its step-by-step approach, simple explanations and clear demonstrations of effective searching principles. This makes it a useful guide regardless of the browser of choice. For those who are less systematic and prefer to dip in and out, the index is fairly comprehensive.

A particularly useful feature are the comparative tables summarizing main features and allowing the searcher to compare different tools. For example, one table compares features of subject directories, another provides information on the indexing criteria used in various search engines and there is a table on multiple access services. Even though the detail may date, it continues to be a useful guide to what to expect and what to choose. More experienced searchers will also find these aids helpful.

As I worked my way through this guide, I appreciated the author's understanding of the problems faced by the novice searcher; learning new terms, finding too much information, keeping track as you move from site to site. This book, with its practical and systematic approach to Internet searching and its clear writing style, is a good starting point for any one who has suffered the frustration of searching this huge information resource to little effect.

Jan HoughtonDepartment of Information StudiesUniversity of Technology, Sydney