With the sheer volume of information that's available freely on the Internet, how do you find what you're looking for? If you ask ten different people, they're likely to tell you ten different paths to take. For this sake of this article, we'll talk about some sites that offer fabulous research information.

When I'm looking for something on the Internet, the first thing I do is run a search using a freeware program, WebFerret 1.0, which can be downloaded at this site. Simply plug in a keyword, and this fabulous program will search through the files of several search engines to find what you're looking for. It's fast, efficient, and FREE!

Honestly, you can't get much better than Martindale's 'The Reference Desk.' The site features science tables and databases, world maps, language dictionaries, travel and shipping information, and centers in subjects such as chemistry, engineering, and mathematics. Oh, and it features a whopping 5,380 calculators for anything you can imagine, from gambling to cooking to numerology.

The Info Service boasts as being the world's largest reference source. Under genealogy, you'll find over 1199 links; under software stop, 2968 links; under business and finance, 3060; and the list goes on and on.

Though StudyWeb is invaluable to anyone in school, it's much more than just a homework helper. Click on any of the major categories and you're given a huge listing of relevant websites. For example, clicking on Literature brought up 16 subcategories. By clicking on one of those subcategories, Mythology, you're presented with website after website on Mythology from various cultures.

What about a website that offers over 2500 reference sites in over 90 categories? That's what you'll find at Virtual Reference Sites. Categories include e-mail greeting cards, home improvement, drug addiction, and English grammar.

Let's say you are interested in government issues. Or maybe you're going on a trip and want to view maps or currency exchange rates. The Virtual Reference Desk offers this information plus much more.

You'll find the complete text of Funk & Wagnalls Multimedia Encyclopedia online, complete with sound clips, a digital image library, and an interactive guide to writing a term paper.

Desktop Reference Tools is a comprehensive site that offers general tools such as dictionaries and geographical information, as well as a multitude of resources listed according to subject.

A site that offers e-mail directories and phone books, links to virtual libraries, computing and website information, and even news and weather is the InfoJunkies Reference Desk.

The Free Internet Encyclopedia is another wonderful reference site that offers link after link in virtually any subject imaginable.

Here's a wonderful site: Needle in a CyberStack - the InfoFinder. You'll find search tools, reference sites, magazines, museums, curriculum information, research tools, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

At John McDonnell's Researcher's Toolkit, you'll discover a seemingly endless supply of links in categories such as investing, newspapers, experts, travel, and U.S. Government, all in that one handy location.

Last but definitely not least, My Virtual Reference Desk offers over 300 reference or research links, sites that offer free stuff over the Internet, a virtual encyclopedia, and over 200 sources where you can obtain specific facts . . . fast.

Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at robinnobles@robinsnest.com.

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