Working with the Internet

Match the tool to your task

As you come to the Internet for information, decide first of all what you are trying to accomplish.

• Are you trying to locate a specific person?
• Do you seek a recognized expert on a topic?
• Would you like comments from people "in the streets?"
• Do you need data?
• Are you seeking facts?
• Is it documents you need?
• Do you need instructions or background materials?

The answers to these questions will weigh heavily on the strategies and the Internet tools you use to find just what you need.

To find someone specific

WhoWhere helps locate phone numbers, physical, e-mail addresses of people for whom you have a name.
Four11 will give you the addresses and phone numbers of people you name
Switchboard will give you phone numbers.
Internet Address Finder will give you e-mail address.
PC411, a reverse directory, will tell you who belongs to an e-mail address.
World Directories World Pages phone books (people & business) for more than 100 nations
Nexor's CUSI people finding utilities

Opinions, expert and otherwise, on any topic

Profnet expert's database, mostly U.S.
CVCP'S Expert Net offers acccess to university experts in the UK.
FACSNET Sources Online. You must register here, then bookmark your page. The sources database is available only to registered journalists who come into the site through the "front door."
Kitty Bennet's Sources and Experts resources pages
CCSO Phonebook Gateway resource for locating specific professors by college. Has UK filter.
Pitsco's Ask an Expert is searchable by keywords, browsable by categories, and responsive to direct e-mail queries. Specializes in offbeat expertise.
The Oxbridge Media Finder for locating magazines, newsletters, other publications on a topic.
Dejanews for locating ordinary people (who may have experience with a product or event.

To discover documents

Annual Report Gallery for corporate annual reports
CCTA Government Information Service documents and contact points for UK government
Nexor CUSI documents finder
U.S. Library of Congress top page includes access to research tools for locating documents
AltaVista's Advanced Search dialog will find almost anything on the World Wide Web. Take time to study the help file for the advanced search.

Finding facts and statistics

CIA World Fact Book and other publications and statistical abstracts
My Virtual Reference Desk from Bob Drudge, gives pointers to almanacs, fact books, and more
Calculators On-Line permit calculations and conversions of all kinds (money, distance, clothing sizes)
International Statistical Agencies alphabetized by nation, listing from theU.S.Census Bureau
Statistical Abstract of the United States

Finding background material and tutorials

Reporting Tools from FACSNET. You will have better access if you are registered.
FAQ Finder for news group FAQs, organized by subject. Also searchable
IRE Resource Center large archive "of stories, handouts and guides" prepared by journalists to help others advance their careers. Abstracts of more than 12,000 investigative stories.