Reference books are the hallmark of any good research project. For centuries, they have filled the shelves of libraries and book shops, getting picked up by researchers and students from varying walks of life; but now that the Internet has far surpassed these spots in terms of conducting most types of research, where do
online reference books fit into the mix?
Reference books online often are mirror images of the reference books found in more traditional settings, only online they are far easier to access and read. Someone could access a reference book online in a matter of seconds from a home computer or tablet device, whereas that same person would have to get into a car and drive to a library or book store to pick up that same reference book and quite possibly pay for it too. An online reference book is just simpler to pick up and read instantly, and often it is far less expensive because in most cases it is 100 percent free to access. In some scenarios, a registration or an individual sign up is required, though these normally do not cost a thing either.
And while some scientific and academic researchers like to combine the paperback and hardcover references sources with a reference book online to provide multiple resources in varying fashions, most students are focusing their research efforts on using these online books to help populate their papers and complete their projects. Researchers often go this route too because they cannot find everything they need in a reference book online, but students often have more success researching here. However, most people do find what they are looking for in at least one reference book online.
What is found in a reference book online is quite comparable to what could be explored in a hardcover research book or reference guide, though each project or paper will require an individual search. In some instances, a person could use a singular reference book online to get all research information accounted for, whereas in other situations it would call for more than one of these books, either in online formats or traditional ones. This mix is normally what professors look for, and it typically is what keeps researchers on their toes and getting more grant money from foundations looking at their research and ideally supporting it.
