This guide investigates the fundamental methodologies for utilizing the internet as a primary research tool within the discipline of political science. The authors, associated with the academic publisher Allyn & Bacon, provide a structured framework for navigating digital archives, evaluating online political data, and conducting scholarly research in an increasingly digitized field. The text serves as a foundational manual for students and researchers to bridge the gap between traditional political science inquiry and emerging electronic information systems.

The subject matter points to a dated, specialist technical manual intended for undergraduate students navigating the early digital landscape of academic research. Its utility is primarily historical, reflecting the pedagogical approaches to information literacy common in the late 1990s and early 2000s.