Most of us have become so used to logging on to the Internet and using the most popular search engine to research a topic that we've invented a new verb: Google. We don't "use Google," to look up a subject anymore, we "google" it.

Using Google or another popular search engine is a great way to locate plenty of information, fast; but, believe it or not, these search engines only uncover the surface of the vast amount of information available. Extensive online databases covering an amazing range of subjects do not necessarily get picked up in a Google search; you need to know the website address of the database and log in to search it. Some of these databases are open to the Internet-surfing public; others are only available by paid subscription. (Some websites will allow you to search the database for free to discover whether they have the information you need, but to access the information itself you have to buy a subscription.) Other sources aren't even available on the Internet, but must be researched using traditional means.

When doing serious research on a subject, your first stop may be to check your local library. It has plenty of reference materials on magazines, newspapers, and other source materials. The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, for instance, offers constantly updated citations of the most recent magazine articles on thousands of topics and may be available at your library online as well as in a hard copy.

Don't forget to search their catalog for books available at the library; skimming through some books on the general subject matter will give you an idea of the breadth of the topic and may help you narrow your focus to a particular aspect of the broader subject, as well as provide you with valuable source material.

Ask your librarian what online databases can be accessed at the library. Also, check the library's website; you may be pleasantly surprised to find that many of the databases subscribed to by the library can be accessed online from your home computer via their website.

Two invaluable books offer enormous assistance in researching a topic. The Facts on File Guide to Research, by Jeff Lenburg (Checkmark Books, 2005), covers the basics of research, then gets into the meat of the matter: thousands upon thousands of sources, both online and off, including archives, professional and social organizations, newspapers, magazines, radio and TV news, electronic databases, governmental resources, and libraries (including public, academic, research, military), and more. Online discussion groups and e-zines are also covered. This 560-page book also offers a section of resources divided by general topic ranging from Aging to Women's Studies. The last two chapters, "Citing Your Sources" and "Creating Your Bibliography, Works Cited, or References" gives you the details of crediting your source material; the appendices cover citation styles preferred according to the MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style.

For more information on the research process itself, check out The Craft of Research by Wayne C Booth, Joseph M. Williams, and Gregory G. Colomb (University of Chicago Press, 2003). This book presents an organized method of researching a subject; while geared toward academic works like term papers and advanced theses, the method can be extrapolated for use in writing newspaper and magazine articles and books for both academic and trade publishers. The book succeeds in making sense of what can be a confusing and complicated process.

Taking some time to identify the right resources and plotting your organizational approach can save you hours of research time and will probably result in a better end product, so be sure to do your preliminary research and cover the basics first. Then, once you've given yourself a road map of where you want to go, you'll be able to hone in on the specific source material you need to cover with confidence.