I have used the CD-ROMs, starting this new research project. Electronic sources save you time. Compared to travelling to London to visit the School of Oriental and African Studies library, consulting the catalogue over the Internet is lightning-fast. You don't need to note down references by hand. Compared to writing down references, saving information to disc or printing it out directly from the screen is quick and accurate.
Electronic sources shape themselves round an inquiry.
They help people who know exactly what they are looking for. On the other hand - if you want to conduct a broad search, or just keep up with the literature in a field, you might be better off browsing through a print source. Where printed databases are issued monthly or quarterly, you have to go through each of the latest issues separately. It is recommended that you request such a 'mediated search' only after you have conducted your own initial searches. Bear in mind also that much statistical information is now published on CD-ROMs and floppy discs.