Gathering Informations
Suppose you want to talk about a particular topic but in need of more informations. How do you go about doing it? Talk to experienced personnel/experts? Do your own research/study? There's a vast supply of informations available at your disposal!
Librarians: If you couldn't find the book you intended to read after much searching, do ask the librarians around, they would be of much help rather than searching around aimlessly.
Online Catalogues: Allows you to conduct keyword searches.
Newspaper Indexes/ Archives: Most libraries do carry major newspapers on microfilm or computers such as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, just to name a few. Also, if you are interested, you could subscribe to the Internet Newspaper Archives which of course, make your searches easier.
Encyclopedias: Provides accurate and elaborate informations on human knowledge and everything under the sun. A wonderful companion in your research.
Dictionaries: Need no further introductions. If you are searching for something technical such as in the area of medicinal, do look into medicinal dictionary instead, as it provides more elaborate explanation than most ordinary dictionaries.
Internet: If you are reading this now, you would definitely have access to the Net, search engines such as Yahoo!, Google, Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves or your favourite search engines.
Virtual Libraries: Most non-profit virtual libraries are available with affiliations with colleges and universities. There are some virtual libraries which requires you to subscribe to their service by their a small fees. Do check around, all in all, virtual libraries is an undeniably great store house of informations.
Librarian's Index to the Internet
Argus Clearinghouse
Internet Public Library
Infomine
WWW Virtual Library
Social Science Information Gateway
Britannica.com
Alternatively, you can also conduct interviews with the relevant experts. Here are some general guidelines which you might find useful.
1) Dress professionally and don't be late.
2) Remind the interviewee the purpose of your meeting, by a phone call before the meeting starts, or leaving a message for his/her secretary.
3) Set up a recorder if you are using one.
4) Keep the interview on track with the questions you have prepared.
5) Always listen and pay full attentions, don't look around while he/she's talking and jot down your own notes.
6) Don't prolong your interview intentionally. If you sense some discomfort in the part of the interviewee (being interrupted by phone calls/ secretary coming in and out), do excuse yourself and arrange for some other times in the future.
7) Review your notes as soon as possble.