FIND
IT ONLINE, 4th Edition
By Alan M. Schlein
When most investigators see a book title like “Find
It Online,” they probably yawn and move along, content
that they have several such volumes on the shelves, or enough
background knowledge to be beyond the offerings of the book.
What must be remembered with such reference editions, however,
is that the contents are constantly changing. An Internet reference
that was the best available five years ago is now so far out
of date -- with Google’s offerings alone -- that it is
basically obsolete. An investment in a good online reference
each year or two is not only advisable, but critical in an
age where much investigation begins online.
In the fourth edition of his “Find It Online” reference,
author Alan M. Schlein continues to develop upon the elements
that made the first edition, published in 1994, one of the
best early online research guides. Much has changed with online
research in the following decade, but Schlein’s updates
reflect those changes and present the topic in a simple, straightforward
manner that can be handled even by those who are not so technologically
savvy. Schlein, an award-winning journalist who knows his research,
presents a book that is both a basic coaching manual for online
research and an annotated list of thousands of the most valuable
Web sites for fact finding and Internet investigation.
The so-called “deep web,” the millions of pages
of information that aren’t turned up with a routine search
engine query, contains vast value for investigators if they
know how to access it. Schlein offers a primer on Web research
in the first portion of this book, explaining which search
engines are the best for which questions, how to limit the
responses of a query to those that will be most likely to hold
value to you, and how to get the most for your money on paid
searching.
Many readers will be tempted to simply skim past those early
chapters and into the annotated list of Web references, but
that would be a mistake. Schlein’s concise explanations
of how to form a successful search strategy and how to decode
the information available on the Web is a crucial starting
point for thorough research.
If it seems that such topics are too general or vague, don’t
worry -- Schlein gets awfully specific. So specific, in fact,
that one of the resources he details is: “Poultrynet... …a
searchable subject index devoted to chickens and poultry in
general. Think about it as the world clearinghouse for information
about poultry.”
For more practical use, there are chapters on public records,
news resources, and a very thorough look at business tools
that includes information sources for international companies.
Bottom line -- if you’re already something of an expert
in the field of online research, than you’re probably
beyond the offerings of this book. But if your Internet background
is limited and your case load routinely calls for you to do
online research beyond what a Google or private database can
provide, then Schlein’s fourth edition of “Find
It Online” is an excellent starting reference.
Editor’s Note: This book reviewer requested no byline
and we are grateful for his contribution. But, if you are interested
in reviewing a book found in the PI Magazine Bookstore, we
will be glad to offer you a byline and a copy of the book to
review. Select an edition that you think has not been reviewed
in the past year or two and let me know at editor@pimagazine.com.
We’ll confirm and get a copy to you.
Softcover
576 pages
7.25"x9.25"
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