The internet is a great research tool
The internet and the world wide web is far and away the greatest single achievement for improving research abilities in the history of mankind. Some things that I will never do again because I can do them better, faster and more completely on the internet include.
- Using a library (well, unless it was to find something that was available nowhere else)
- scanning the white pages
- trying to find something in the yellow pages
- checking the classified section of a newspaper
- subscribing to a paper magazine
- owning a complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica (and replacing it every 5 years!)
- Using a hardcopy dictionary
- Trying to find out how to get to a place with a paper map
- calling directory assistance to get a phone number
The list goes on and on. Why would anyone, for example, keep a phone book handy? The thing is out-of-date before it is printed. It's large and difficult to store. It fills our landfills with trash. It can be difficult to find what you want.
On the other hand, on the internet you can just go to any number of the phone directory sites, enter a name and get a phone number back. Always up-to-date, not stored in your apartment and it does not fill up our trashcans with still more paper.
Man, the problem is not a lack of sites providing research tools. The problem is there are so many places to get research done that it's hard to find what you want.
Some good starting places for general research include: