Anything you might want to know about LCD monitors you can find in
The LCD Thread over at the anandtech forums in the first post, and the second post has recommended models for specific uses (recommended based on suitability to task NOT price.)
You don't list where you're located, but Newegg has a '
black friday LCD sale' running until the 29th. Nothing stellar (no IPS/PVA panels) but everything is serviceable and has decent prices.