The War Between the Mediums

Is print or online research better? This argument is often oversimplified (though not by much) as the older generation's views against the younger's.

In actuality, both methods have their pros and cons, as well as a type of data that is better researched with them. For example, unless you have access to something like EBSCO (better known as Academic Search Premier, a database for magazine sources), you're going to need print sourced to find magazine articles. But why would you want to? Can't you find all the information in articles for free online?

Er… no…

Information isn't free. At least, specialty information isn't free. Usually. That's why, if you want specialty information, you'll probably have to go to the libraries in your area, and I don't just mean the public one. What colleges, universities, or large private schools might you have near you? Undergraduate and graduate schools in particular should offer access to a number of specialty journals and magazines so you don't have to pay for them.

General information, or even personal testimonies or quirky occurrences, are often best found online or in encyclopedias. (And while we're speaking of encyclopedias, I understand that studies have shown Wikipedia to have the same level of accuracy as Encyclopedia Britannica.)

The Wikipedia note brings the most common complaint about the Internet and praise of print books: accuracy. The general impression is the Internet is untrustworthy, whereas print sources are by default. It's certainly easier to put inaccurate information out on the Internet, since it costs nothing but time, but print sources—yes, even books—are not necessarily true in what they say.

Both books and web pages must be evaluated for trustworthiness: how old is the information, who is the author; what is the information's source? Even the web address of a site can tell you about the information's trustworthiness—is it a free host or a solid well-established one?—as can the publishing company of a book. A company you've never heard of may be more accurate than the big label, but the Internet can help, here. If a publishing company of a modern book doesn't exist online, chances are the information isn't the most trustworthy that you could find.

Also, primary sources (the original source for certain information) often must be looked up in print, but sometimes they're online. For example, I recently wanted to use some transcripts from the 9/11 interviews as sources in a speech, and as far as I could find, they were only accessible online.

Both online and print sources can work together. A quick Internet search can teach you enough about a topic for you to then pursue the specific information in print sources if necessary. A print textbook on your shelf—I collect them—can provide an overview of the body's vitamin requirements for you to research other perspectives online or in print.

It's not a war. It's a teeter-totter. You may prefer being at the top of one side or the other, but the best place to be can vary with context. Use whichever type of research you prefer by default, but you should at least be willing to check the other when necessary.