Don't Buy Your Reference and Research Books, Find Them Free on the Web

Research Made Easy Doing research with the Internet isn't a new concept, but finding sites to do your research for you is. Typing random terms into search engines is a thing of the past thanks to some great thinkers out there on the web.

One of my favorite sites is Refdesk.com. This site is you ground zero for finding research sites. The site includes links to expert advice, reference facilities, and news, as well as help and advice columns.

For a more detailed research on a variety of topics The Writer Buddy.com writer's forum has a great little place called the "Coach's Corner" where you can ask questions of experts and look up previously answered questions on just about anything. I found experts there in the fields of pop psychology, karate, bar tendering, ancient weaponry, and more!

Are you looking for really specific information that only the government would know? Go to sites like Fedstats.gov or Firstgov.gov. Fedstats.gov has statistical data, statistical profiles of states, counties, cities, congressional districts, and federal judicial districts, while Firstgov.gov has just about any other kind of information you could want related to government agencies and policies.

Would a survey really perk up your nonfiction? The Story Generator, at Freelance Writing.com, has many of the latest surveys and is updated every week. A survey about mothers getting information from the Internet was just the tidbit of information I needed to put zing into my query for an article called "Moms on the Web."

Need to know exactly how something works for your story? Go to How Stuff Works.com. This site covers the inner working of weapons, gadgets, vehicles, and more. While browsing "How Stuff Works" I found information on how skyscrapers are so tall, how disk brakes stop a car, and how flourescent lights brighten a room.

Putting It All Together Now that you have all the reference links you could want don't get overwhelmed. Don't try to bookmark and use them all. Find a few that suit your purpose best and forget the others. The worst thing you can do is to visit so many websites that you don't have time to actually write. Remember that you are researching for your writing, not against it.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic