There has been a giant leap in the amount of research that is being done by students, teachers, and research alike. While its use has increased, there is still a large majority of these groups who either prefer not to utilize online resources, or simply do not know how. There is also a large percentage of individuals, especially in the academic arena, that find online encyclopedias unreliable. This mindset has proved to be an unfortunate one because online reference materials are often as factually correct as their printed counterparts. In order to discuss the benefits of finding facts online, it is important to address the issue from the standpoint of both a student as well as a teacher/researcher.
* Speed
It is much faster to use online encyclopedias to do research than to spend hours in the library. When working online, the student needs to simply find the encyclopedia of their choice and type in a search phrase. From here, the student can be given a number of articles relating to the focus of their research. They will be able to amass a wealth of information in a matter of minutes. This same process can take literally hours when using printed materials in a library.
* Updated Information
When using an online encyclopedia, students will receive updated information. If the facts change, these changes will be reflected by the online reference materials. With printed materials this simply isn't possible. Once a book is printed, it cannot be changed. Many schools and libraries have encyclopedias that are five or ten years old. Students that are forced to use these materials, may be absorbing information that has been long out of date.
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