Find It Fast: Extracting Expert Information from Social Networks, Big Data, Tweets, and More

by Robert I. Berkman

Go beyond Google to mine big data and social media
 
Author Robert Berkman gives expert advice on how to search the internet to locate the best information sources, how to find and utilize the professionals behind those sources, and how to combine these techniques to complete an information search on any subject. This fully updated 6th edition includes how to search beyond Google, leveraging big data in the search process, and how to search the social web. Readers will also find expert advice on how to know if a site is a trusted source; understanding how and why sources differ; using precision search strategies and taming information overload; and finding, evaluating, and identifying experts. Whether it’s consumer advice, information for a job or project, facts for starting a new business, or answers to questions on obscure topics, Find It Fast is the perfect resource for learning to hone one’s internet searching skills.

Genres: Nonfiction, Professional Development, Reference, Librarianship, Library Science

424 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh boy this was a giant book full of information! Yes, it took me a long time to read....there's no way I could have gotten through all of it in one loan period (I checked it out from my local public library). This is a great resource for early career librarians, those in library school, and any researchers. There are many great resources listed and Berkman does a good job at breaking down the research & writing process. Would be very relevant for those that must write technical reports or those in the academic arena.

A shout out was given to The Craft of Research in the further resources section. I relied on this book during my final semester in library school myself and can also highly recommend it.

[Barth Siemens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard one for me to review. When I started, I thought my occupation would require a ton of reference work, but I took a hard left. I did not read every word—it is a reference book—but I read enough to be impressed with the exhaustive (exhausting?) amount of information.

This will stay on my shelf—pretty high praise. When I'm not sure how to find something, it will be my go-to reference.

[Stately Elms Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tricks and tips for people wanting to get more out of their internet searches.
As a reference librarian I found it extremely helpful, particularly in the area of social media navigation.

[Alicia Tapia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice refresher, lots of resources in here for finding specific information on the WWW, but not a ton on information evaluation.

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the 6th edition as an early reviewer copy. I wish I had this when I was working on my Masters Degree. Having a concise list of credible web and print research sources is an excellent feature and I'm glad that Berkman started with that as the first chapter. Well written and very helpful. It would be a really good resource for a new student beginning to learn to do research or someone looking for new ways to find research sources that aren't exclusively from Google, including advice about talking with experts and ways of using social media as a source.

[Tensy (bookdoyen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, detailed chapter, "Truth, Lies and Influence," that discusses how to evaluate resources found on the internet and how to fact check research studies.

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful. Covers a lot, mostly focusing on online research and locating it on the internet.