Using Blogs for Research

http://www.stress-free.co.nz/using_blogging_as_a_research_tool

In this age of technology a new research tool has emerged.  Blogs are the newest hotspot of information for today's students and businesses.  There are many advantages to using blogs for research. 

First, information on blogs is usually created in logical and chronological order.  This is unlike using plain Google or other search engines, which find articles relevant to the search parameters in no particular order or age related format.  By using Google Blog Search or icerocket, the reader can filter their search to include only blogs.  This eliminates a few hundred or thousand unnecessary articles to check out for usefullness. 

Second, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a blog tool to help your computer keep abreast of updates to a particular blog instead of you having to revisit a blog/website everyday to do this yourself.  Your computer can then organize new information for you, so in essence it helps both you and your computer.  Most blogs have an RSS button for you.

Third, there are specific tools designed to make the blogging esperience easier and more productive.  Such tools guide you through the processes of posting articles and even citing sources for later reference.  Some blogs have links to take you to other helpful sites.

Lastly, the information comes from the companies or people themselves.  In this way, what you get is more relevant to what you seek.  A wealth of information, with a personal angle, about a particular subject can be found in one search instead of the tradtional websearch whech may take hours to dissect. It is also easier to locate other people who share your interest and may provide just the answers you are seeking.

Overall, blogs are just another tool developed to navigate to the superworld of information on the web.  This type of social networking has caught on at home, work, and school fairly fast and at least for now it appears to be around for a long time