The Skeptical Business Searcher: The Information Advisor's Guide to Evaluating Web Data, Sites and Sources

Citation

Chawner, B. (2005), "The Skeptical Business Searcher: The Information Advisor's Guide to Evaluating Web Data, Sites and Sources", Online Information Review, Vol. 29 No. 5, pp. 568-569. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520510628990

Berkman, editor of The Information Advisor since 1988, has distilled his considerable experience in searching for business information into this readable guide to finding and evaluating free sources of company and industry information. The book begins with a discussion of issues associated with searching for free information on the web, including a lack of context and an over‐reliance on keyword searching. Chapter 2 introduces sources that Berkman recommends as a starting point prior to a web search; these include business books and directories, known web sites, and web directories or portals.

The next two chapters discuss techniques for precision searching and dealing with questionable web sites. Google is covered in depth, with a range of practical suggestions for using advanced features to improve search result quality. Berkman illustrates his recommendations with examples from his own experience – in one, trying to verify a quote attributed to Buddha, which involved identifying an expert in the sayings of Buddha, tracking down his current address, and writing him a letter. Individual chapters cover company and industry sources, statistics and surveys, and news sites (including blogs); there is also a list of recommended sites grouped by category, for example advertising and marketing, business rankings, and company information.

The most valuable part of the book, though, is not the descriptions of sources or searching techniques, but rather Berkman's recommendation that business searchers learn to trust their own judgment and intuition by developing critical thinking skills. This ties in to a key word in the book's title, “skeptical” – Berkman emphasizes developing a personal list of trusted sites that are known to be reliable, and starting with them. One weakness of the book is its emphasis on US sources; there is minimal coverage of international business information sources. An appendix includes Berkman's ten‐point web site evaluation checklist, plus links to similar checklists. There is an index, and, like books in Information Today's SuperSearcher series, the work is supported with a companion web site containing links to sites it mentions, plus supplementary material. Berkman's focus on skills and knowledge, rather than simply descriptions of specific sites, makes this a recommended addition to business information collections. It will also be useful for practitioners wishing to add to their personal collections.