1.) Use quotation marks ("") when you want to search for a specific term or phrase when using sites like Google.
 For example, if you want to search for a certain Led Zeppelin song,  simply type in "whole lot of love" to search for web pages that feature  that exact group of words, in that exact order.  If you type that song  name without quotation marks, sites like Google will search for those  words in almost any order they appear on any number of different  web pages.  This can bring up sites that have zero relevance to what you  were actually trying to search for, and can be justifiably frustrating.
 However, by simply adding quotation marks at the beginning and end of  a phrase, or any other group of words you're interested in searching  for online, you can more easily find the right information you are seeking .
 2.) Browse the 'References' section of a Wikipedia page.
 While Wikipedia (http://wikipedia.org)  is one of the largest collections of information on the planet, the  ability for any number of users to add and edit pages makes the site far  from 100% reliable.   But, while the actual pages on Wikipedia are user  created and moderated, the references found at the end of any given Wiki  page are almost always from reliable sources.  Newspapers, journals,  and online, official documents are the usual information sources you'll  find linked throughout a Wiki page; and, additionally, those external  sites can potentially link you to other relevant information about the  topic you're interested in researching.
 3.) About.com is a great place to find guides, lists, and how-to information online.
 Whether you're looking for information about how to lose weight, or  even if you're just trying to discover how to write a killer resume,  About.com (http://about.com)  is one of the most trusted (and free) sites on the internet for finding  answers to questions you might have.  About.com is owned by the New  York Times, so it has more than just a fly-by-night company standing  behind the information it's handing out; and, the 'Guides, ' or, writers  for the site, are all paid staff members, with many editors checking  and rechecking their information before posting it to a page.
 About.com is different from other information sites in that it offers  not only articles about specific topics, but also contains how-to pages  about thousands of different things.  So, while Wikipedia can tell you  all about the history of the guitar, About.com is the site to check out  first if you want to start learning how to actually play.
 4.) Yahoo!  Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com),  while not always offering reliable information, is one of the best  places to get started if you only have a general idea of what you are researching.
 Yahooo!  Answers is a website that allows users to type in any  question they can think of, and then wait for other Yahoo!  users to  answer it as best they can.   You can also browse through the millions of  questions already posted by users, by searching with specific keywords  to see if your question has already been asked.
 So, say you only know the plot-line for a movie, but can't remember  the name of it...well, you can go to Yahoo!  Answers and ask if anyone  remembers the name of a movie that featured the specific scene or idea  from your memory.  Again, the answers that come back may not always be  correct, but when you just aren't exactly sure how to even begin  searching for something, Yahoo!  Answers is a great first step.
 5.) WikiAnswers (http://Answers.com)  is a site, similar to Yahoo!  Answers, that acts as a good stepping  stone for seeking out information, but, what it offers over Yahoo!   Answers is it's collection of technical, scientific and historical  Q&A's.
 WikiAnswers allows anyone to answer a specific question, just like  Yahoo!  Answers, but, unlike it's rival site, usually only one answer is  shown at a time.  Additionally, other users can come in and change/edit  the answer to improve its relevancy or accuracy.  WikiAnswers is one of  the best places on the Internet to go if you want to know why clouds  form, who fought in the War of the Roses, or what specific vitamins do  to the human body.
 6.) Ask.com (http://ask.com)  is a mixture of Google's search engine and Yahoo!  Answers, and it  allows you to search for either specific words or a specific question.
 When you search the internet using Ask.com you will get two types of  responses back.  The first response will be the best answer as chosen by  the Ask.com staff; while the second response that shows up is a list of  websites where you can find the information yourself.  Ask.com is a  great tool to use when you want an answer, but also want to know where  that answer came from.
 Want to find out how long Route 66 is, but you also want to see it on a map?  Ask.com is the place to go.
 7.) Forums, while harder to navigate than some of the above websites,  are the best place to go to find the answer to a specific and/or  detailed question about any given topic.
 If you need to find out why certain software isn't working on your  specific computer, of if you need to know what kind of fuel to put into  your new lawnmower, then going to forums dedicated to such discussions  is the best choice for finding the specific answers you need.  By simply  adding 'forum' to the end of a search on Google, or on any other search  engine, you will usually find discussion groups dedicated to whatever  it is you're searching.
 Additionally, most forums are free to browse as well as internally  search, though most ask that you register with the site before posting a  new thread/question.  And, remember, whenever you're going through  forums that you should always read the 'stickies, ' or top discussions  before posting a new thread, as those posts can contain very important  information (and possibly the answer you're looking for!).
 8.) Manufacture's Websites, when it comes to searching for answers  about items you own or have previously purchased, are one of the best  places to find just what you need to know.
 While not all manufacturers have websites, and while not all of those  that do are the most informative, an ever increasing number of  businesses are providing Q&A sections, help pages, and other tools  that are helpful in getting what you desire to discover.
 When you have a question about a specific product, and you don't want  to try searching for a forum, try going to the source first - the  manufacture's website.  Be sure that when you visit the main page you  pay special attention to the bottom of the page, as it usually has links  to all the different information found throughout the entire business'  website.
 9.) The Yellow Pages aren't just huge books left on your doorstep  twice a year anymore.  Yellowpages.com (or, YP.com) offers an abundance  of information about local and national businesses in the United States.   Everything from a place's phone numbers, to multiple location  addresses, and even coupons and special online deals can be found on the  Yellow Pages' website.
 If you know the name of the business you're looking for, or even if  you just know the general type of food you're interested in eating  tonight, YP.com is arguably the best place to not only get directions  and phone numbers, but also to help discover new and local shops in your  area, or the area you're visiting.
 10.) Last on our list of the 10 Best Ways To Retrieve Information Online, is the powerful social networking site Facebook (http://www.Facebook.com).
 Facebook is not just a place to update your status and show off  pictures of your cat anymore.  Over the years Facebook has developed a  powerful search engine that allows its users to not only search for  friends, but to now also search for businesses, celebrities, bands,  artists and more.
 If you have a favorite restaurant, but don't know what their special  is tonight, one of the first places you should check is Facebook to see  if they have an official page.  An ever-increasing number of small and  local businesses have discovered the power of advertising themselves on  Facebook, and many cafes and dining establishments will put up what  items are special on a specific day, as well as list upcoming events and  sales.
 Business aren't all you can search for on Facebook though.  If you  want to know when a certain band is going to be touring through your  hometown, the best place to check first is Facebook.  Everyone from  local bands to U2 have Facebook pages, and a great number of those pages  are updated with band information, tour schedules, and album release  dates.
 Facebook, while it can't do everything (yet), can offer you more than  just a temporary distraction while you're at work; and, it is one of  the best places to start searching for information on local, as well as  national businesses, events, and entertainment.  You already have a  Facebook page, so why not use it to the fullest?
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 This list is in no way complete, but hopefully it offers all of you a  great way to get started on finding the answers to the questions  burning hot in your heads.  Remember, when you're searching for anything  out there on the Internet, though, to make sure that the information  you're reading is coming from a reliable source.  Always fact check the  answers to your questions, always have an up-to-date virus protection  and firewall software program running on your computer, and always,  ALWAYS be skeptical of anything that sounds too good to be true.
 Happy Information Hunting!