The Search Is On(line)

Ever feel stuck in a rut, relying on the same old-fashioned techniques as a matter of tradition? Many researchers find themselves in this position for a simple reason--keeping up with the latest techniques takes effort. Combing the literature for the latest and greatest or trying to troubleshoot your own advances can take valuable time away from data collection. Some of the popular protocol guides try to stay current by sending updated pages to replace old sections. However, the new pages seem to accumulate exponentially, and the job of actually incorporating them into the book has become an initiation rite usually delegated to the low man on the lab totem pole.

To address the need for convenient access to the latest protocols, BIOSIS has added a service known as MethodsFinder to its vast collection of scientific resource offerings. Up and running since June 1999, this Internet-based service provides a fast and...