Research on the Internet

for consultants

Lonnie Turbee

This paper was created for the Professional Consultants Association of Syracuse, New York, and is found in hyperlinked (and colorful!) format at:  http://www.dyvic.com/~lonnie/PCA1.html

• Internet applications for research
• A web search tutorial
• The Internet and your business
• Action steps

Internet applications for research

Clients

A client program resides on your own computer.  It gives you access to data that is on a server (computer) that is running server software.

Clients you know and love:

Web browsers: Netscape, Internet Explorer

Mail programs:  Eudora, Pine, Juno, Hotmail, AOL

Others you may want to use:

• RealPlayer: web browser plug-in that plays multimedia content (audio and video)
• Telnet: allows you to log onto a remote computer, giving you an input command screen
• Acrobat Reader: allows you to read documents stored in Acrobat (.pdf) format
• mIRC: Internet Relay Chat client, allows you to chat with others in real time using text
• Pueblo: direct ftp download of MUVE (multiple user virtual environment) client

Servers

• Web:  any web server - web.syr.edu.  See search engines
• Email (asynchronous communication): incoming mail server - mailbox.syr.edu. See: listservs
• Chat (synchronous communication) MOO server: schmooze.hunter.cuny.edu 
  See: chat environments

A web search tutorial

Why reinvent the wheel?

UC Berkeley's website on doing Internet research is the best!  You'll want to download the Adobe Reader to make the most use of this site.
 
• Finding Information on the Internet: A TUTORIAL
• Adobe Acrobat Reader

Why invest the time in taking a tutorial?

After two years of offering Internet research courses, the staff of the Teaching Library at UC Berkeley "came to believe that the investment of time to learn to effectively and efficiently find information on the Internet using complex search strategies is worthwhile, and simple searching is usually not."

The Internet and your business

Doing research for your business needs

Let's answer this sample question (see Berkeley's search strategy):
What sites should we bookmark for use in our consulting business?

1. Analyze the topic.
• Narrow it down:  What is the latest in lean manufacturing / JIT?
• Determine what terms to search for:  JIT, "just in time", "lean manufacturing"
2. Start with meta-search engines like Dogpile or Inference Find, then browse using the find function in your browser.
3. Use other search options like AltaVista Advanced and Hotbot.  Narrow your search:  "just in time" packaging
4. Use "webliographies" (links on your subject): try keyword search that includes the word "links" or phrases like "list of links", "my favorite websites", "my favorite links", "bookmarks", etc.  Also try sites listed in the Berkeley tutorial such as Librarian's Index to the Internet
5. Try a search tool dedicated to your subject.  Start with Berkeley's suggestions, such as looking up your subject in the Internet Sleuth.
6. Go beyond general world wide web searching: discussion forums, web boards, chat environments, libraries, etc.

Answers to questions from members of the Professional Consultants Association of Syracuse, NY:

Click here.

Assessing your business's Internet use

• Email:  can your customers depend on it?
• Email overload and net surfing:  too much of a good thing?
• Your website:  Do you need one?  Do you have one?  Is it attractive and useful?

See:  The Alertbox: Current Issues in Web Usability
See also:  Dave Chu's Website Options to get started on putting up your own site.

My favorite small business sites on the web

• Women's Business Center - great info all can benefit from
• Support Services Alliance, Inc. - for services like medical benefits for small business owners
• Nolo.com Self-help Law Center - some of the most up-to-date info on law and business, free or cheap
• Small Business Administration - if it ends in .gov, you know it's got to be good!
• Smart Business Supersite - tons of links, in-site search

Action steps

1. Take the UC Berkeley tutorial
2. Assess your business's Internet use
3. Put up a website
4. Check your email every day
5. Market with your email and web addresses
6. Market with your Internet-based research (make your own "webliography"!)
7. Get educated.  See my Resource Guide for Distance Education

Last updated 12/1/00
Lonnie Turbee