Timeliness
Publication of a book
can take years. Journals can take weeks, and newspapers have daily deadlines.
But the Internet is a whole new medium for instant news and information. Current
events are updated continually throughout the day on news sites such as cnn.com. New Web sites on every imaginable topic
go up every day. Be sure to analyze your sources carefully
(more about that later). Rumor and "Web legends" fly quickly and
easily with no governing body at the helm!
Unique Sources of Information
Why go to CNN's website when you can get the same information on TV? Why go to The New York Times on the Web
if you can read the same thing in the morning paper? More and more often,
content is not the same. Many traditional
information providers are tailoring their Web copy to the online
reader and can offer hyperlinks and video and audio features. New formats like
e-zines, or electronic magazines published on the Internet, allow individuals to become publishers.
Two-Way Communication
Email, Listservs,
and newsgroups can be used for much more than chatting
with friends and relatives. All of these resources, discussed later in this guide,
can be used to join in discussions about a specific topic, to pose questions
directly to authors and experts, to conduct online interviews, and
much more. Without the cost of a long-distance call or the delay
of overseas mail, you can contact a wildlife expert in Costa Rica
or an ambassador in China.
Unlimited Access
Unlike the library, the Internet never closes (unless a server is down). You can conduct research wherever and
whenever you like, provided you have access to a computer, a modem, and an Internet service provider.
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