Showing posts with label Directory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Directory. Show all posts

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

Probable resources for a literature review

Today, a thorough literature review is one of the most important aspects of any research initiative. Any research is incomplete without it. A thorough literature review would entail an in-depth investigation into the available resources and providing appropriate citations within any research.

Any research would definitively begin with a literature review. Most of the studies undertaken today have a precedent somewhere and a similar research would have been undertaken at some location across the world. An in-depth investigation into the available resources is the starting point for any effective literature review. Research involving ground-breaking topics or esoteric issues would provide an uphill battle in the literature review part of the study. However, most studies can follow a simple path for incorporating a comprehensive literature review in their research.


  • Library: A local library can be assumed as the first stop to research for the available literature on a particular topic. However, because of the voluminous data present in any library, this can be a time-consuming process. In several libraries, literature that is not available can be loaned from another library in the vicinity. However, such options depend on the library and the options available with it. A much faster and popular method of searching for resources is the World Wide Web.
  • Google Scholar: It is one of the largest online resources available for topic hunting. Most of the currently available literature is available at anyone’s fingertips. With myriad options to refine and categorize the searches, it provides a plethora of options for information retrieval in the shortest possible time. It also offers a very intuitive and fast-loading interface and links to all the related information. One of the most formidable advantages of Google Scholar is the option that it provides for importing citations in some popular formats, namely, BibTeX, EndNote, RefMan, and RefWorks. With the availability of expressing citations in popular formats (MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style), Google Scholar ensures that the perfect literature review is only a few clicks away.

The literature review is also an integral part of any bibliography and reference sections. All the literature used in any research has to be cited in order to avoid claims of plagiarism from the reviewing and publishing authorities. The bibliography should be as detailed as the literature review section, and both these sections are inherently intertwined.

A comprehensive literature review can go a long way in ensuring the publication of the perfect paper.




How to use a yellow pages directory to find services

A yellow pages directory is a listing of businesses, services, and relevant organizations that provide a particular set of services. They are either organized alphabetically or as per their category in order to facilitate information retrieval. Before the advent of the Internet, yellow pages were available as a heavyset directory with comprehensive listings of local businesses. If a particular service is required, the categorized listings could be perused, and the corresponding contact information could be procured. Most yellow pages directories require constant updating in the form of new directories being sent as and when updates are available in the listings or at select intervals, which is a cumbersome process. Further, the supply and coordination required to ensure all the target customers receive the required information is a time-consuming process. 

With the advent of the Internet and various paraphernalia associated with it, it has become far simpler to advertise and procure information from a “yellow pages” directory. Online directories have retained the nomenclature “yellow pages.” Online versions of the yellow pages directory are available in two forms: on the World Wide Web or on discs. The former is more ubiquitous in nature, since the latter require a dedicated system with access to disc readers so that the stored directory information can be accessed. In the case of online directories, most of the popular ones have cross-platform versions that can provide seamless access to the voluminous information. With various versions available for computer and mobile platforms, customers can be kept updated with the latest information in the shortest possible time. Further, updating of the systems as well as the information contained therein can be done within a very short duration, facilitating the up-to-date dissemination of information.

One of the advantages of online access is the efficiency of information retrieval. Most directory services provide a gamut of search options. Searches can be categorized as per requirement: category, name, locality, price range, and so on. They also have various options for sharing the collated information. The search results can be shared via e-mail, sent as a text message to cellular devices, can be marked/tagged as favorites, shared on popular social networking Web sites, and so on. As per the latest statistics provided by Forbes, more than 80% consumers that are looking for a new product/service will first go to the Internet to search for the relevant information; a printed set of yellow pages comes second.

All these available options can be successfully used to facilitate information categorization and efficient retrieval.


Advantages of listing business on online directory

The introduction of the World Wide Web has created an entirely new paradigm for the marketing of services and businesses that are available at the click of a button for anyone interested in finding a particular business, service, or product. With an ever-increasing customer base for the Internet and the plethora of means of accessing it, the Internet can provide the best marketplace to introduce and define businesses. The deeper penetration of the Internet into areas that have been previously inaccessible or untenable for business marketing has opened a new era for business listings. As an example, India is one of the biggest markets that offer a purely consumer-driven opportunity with a humongous middle-class with a veritable spending power. The latest study by comScore (“2013 India Digital Future in Focus”) has revealed that India’s “connected” populace has increased from 56.3 million to 73.9 million as on March 31, 2013. This is a massive year-on-year increase of 31 percent. India has become the third-largest “connected” population in the world. Furthermore, there has been a shift from the use of computers as a preferred means for Internet access: mobiles have been gaining increased preference for Internet access. 

The above provides some hints into how the Internet has become a formidable avenue for information dissemination. It also provides a comparatively easy, efficient, and cost-effective way for setting up directories. For creating an online directory, a few things should be kept in mind: (1) a Website that can be navigated easily (this is to ensure that the Web site can cater to customers of varied ages); (2) the name of the Web site should reflect the business in an appropriate manner; (3) the hierarchical structure of the Web site should follow a set structure (taking a look at other popular sites and take a leaf from some of their ideas can help, too); and (4) ensuring appropriate penetration and advertisement of the Web site in local information channels. (5) Online Stationery Store


The Website should provide a one-stop destination for any and all types of customers. Care must be taken to ensure the business is explained in as simple a language as possible: esoteric text/images can only confuse your customer, which can be detrimental to business development.

With the Internet taking the front seat in the developing future of online marketing, setting-up shop with an effective online directory can go a long way in creating effective and efficient means of promoting your business.