The Oxford Guide to Library Research
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With all of the new developments in information storage and retrieval, researchers today need a clear and comprehensive overview of the full range of their options, both online and offline, for finding the best information quickly. In this third edition of The Oxford Guide to LibraryResearch, Thomas
… More »With all of the new developments in information storage and retrieval, researchers today need a clear and comprehensive overview of the full range of their options, both online and offline, for finding the best information quickly. In this third edition of The Oxford Guide to LibraryResearch, Thomas Mann maps out an array not just of important databases and print sources, but of several specific search techniques that can be applied profitably in any area of research. From academic resources to government documents to manuscripts in archives to business Web sites, Mann showsreaders how best to exploit controlled subject headings, explains why browsing library shelves is still important in an online age, demonstrates how citation searching and related record searching produce results far beyond keyword inquiries, and offers practical tips on making personal contactswith knowledgeable people. Against the trendy but mistaken assumption that "everything" can be found on the Internet, Mann shows the lasting value of physical libraries and the unexpected power of traditional search mechanisms, while also providing the best overview of the new capabilities ofcomputer indexing. Throughout the book Mann enlivens his advice with real-world examples derived from his experience of having helped thousands of researchers, with interests in all subjects areas, over a quarter century. Along the way he provides striking demonstrations and powerful arguments against thosetheorists who have mistakenly announced the demise of print. Essential reading for students, scholars, professional researchers, and laypersons, The Oxford Guide to Library Research offers a rich, inclusive overview of the information field, one that can save researchers countless hours of frustration in the search for the best sources on theirtopics.
« LessWhat research libraries can offer that the Internet cannot (both resources and search techniques)
Trade-offs of what, who, and where restrictions on free access
Hierarchy of levels of learning
Data, information, opinion, knowledge, understanding
Wisdom separate
Implications of format differences
Nine methods of subject searching
Patterns in inefficient searches
1. Initial overviews : encyclopedias
Characteristics of encyclopedias
Specialized vs. general encyclopedias
Examples
How to find articles in specialized encyclopedias
Cross-disciplinary searching
How to identify additional specialized encyclopedias
Peculiar strengths of general sets
2. Subject headings and the library catalog
Problems in determining the right subject headings
Uniform heading
Scope-match specificity and its modifications
Specific entry
Four ways to find the right subject headings
Cross-references
Alphabetically adjacent terms
Subject tracings
Browse displays of subdivisions
Recognition vs. prior specification
Use of three menu listings
Precoordination and postcoordination
Particularly useful subdivisions
Miscellaneous tips on subject headings
Narrowing a topic
Proper names
Finding foreign language books
Pattern headings
3. General browsing, focused browsing, and use of classified bookstacks
Alternative methods of shelving book collections
The problems with shelving by accession number, by height, or in remote warehouses
Serendipity and recognition
General browsing vs. focused browsing
Full-text searching and depth of access
Lighthouse libraries example
Searching for a single word
Valery and Dreyfus example
Inadequacy of Google Print as a replacement for classified bookstacks
The complementary relationship of the library catalog and the classified bookstacks
The catalog as the index to the classification scheme
Trade-offs and remedies
Exploiting the internal structure of the cataloging system
The problems that result when the system is ignored
Browsing in other contexts
Importance of full texts of books arranged in subject groupings
4. Subject headings and indexes to journal articles
Descriptors
Separate thesauri
Descriptor fields in online records
Eureka databases
Browse search feature
FirstSearch databases and WilsonWeb counterparts
Related subjects search feature
Contrast of Eureka and FirstSearch softwares
EBSCO host research databases
Search features
Dialog and DataStar databases
ProQuest databases
Miscellaneous databases with controlled descriptors
Cross-disciplinary searching
Finding where journals are indexed and which journals are available electronically
Identifying the best journals
Problems with abbreviations of journal titles
The change in cataloging rules for serials
5. Keyword searches
Problems with controlled searches
Advantages of controlled vocabularies
Problems with keyword searches
Advantages of keywords
Index-Abstract-level keyword databases and printed sources
Full-text databases
Convenience vs. quality of access
ProQuest databases
EBSCO host research databases - InfoTrac databases
JSTOR
Project Muse
LexisNexis
Web sites on the open Internet
Search engines
Subject directories
Invisible web sites
Google Print project
Summary
6. Citation searches
Finding where a known source has been footnoted by a subsequent journal article
ISI indexes
Web of Science
Cross-disciplinary coverage
Cycling sources
"Reviews" of journal articles
Additional features of ISI indexes
Citation searching in other databases
7. Related record searches
Finding articles that have footnotes in common with a starting-point article
Examples
Differences between CD-ROM versions and Web of Science
8. Higher-level overviews : review articles
"Literature review" or "state of the art" assessments
Differences from book reviews and encyclopedia articles
Web of Science "review" limit capability
Other sources of literature reviews
9. Published bibliographies
Differences from computer printouts of sources
Doing Boolean combinations without a computer
Two problems in identifying published bibliographies
Bibliographies not shelved with regular books
Subdivision "- Bibliography" can be missed in library catalog
Finding bibliographies via the library catalog
Finding bibliographies in Z class shelving area
Other sources for finding bibliographies
Guides to the literature
Bibliographies not superseded by computer sources
10. Boolean combinations and search limitations
Boolean combinations
Component word searching within controlled subject strings
Word truncation
Proximity searches
Limitations of sets
Limiting by time periods
Limiting by geographic area codes
Limiting by document types
Combining keywords and citation searches
Boolean combinations without computers
Precoordinated headings and browse displays
Published subject bibliographies
Focused shelf-browsing
How to identify which databases exist
11. Locating material in other libraries
Determining library locations of desired items
WorldCat, RLG Union Catalog, National Union Catalog of Pre-1956 Imprints
Other union lists and databases
Web sites for identifying out-of-print books for sale
Determining which libraries have special collections on your subject
Interlibrary loan and document delivery
12. People sources
Journalists and academics
Inhibiting assumptions
"Find it on your own"
Advantages of people sources
Listservs and discussion groups online
Techniques for students
Sources for identifying experts
Associations and directories
How to talk to reference librarians
13. Hidden treasures
Resources not shelved or cataloged with conventional research materials
Microform sets and counterpart Web sites
Web collections
Government documents
Particular importance of Congressional hearings
Archives, manuscripts, and public records
14. Special subjects and formats
Biography
Book reviews
Business and economics
Copyright status information
Genealogy and local history
Illustrations, pictures, and photographs
Literary criticism
Maps
Newspapers
Out-of-print and secondhand books
Primary sources
Standards and specifications
Statistics
Tabular data
Tests (psychological and educational)
Translations
15. Reference sources : searching by types of literature
Reference questions vs. research questions
Review of search techniques for research questions
Type of literature searches
Internet sources for fact searches
Coverage of the various types of literature
Understanding the formal properties of retrieval systems
The discipline of library and information science
Sources for identifying types of literature in any subject area
Concluding thoughts
Appendix : Wisdom
Index
Preface -- What research libraries can offer that the Internet cannot (both resources and search techniques) -- Trade-offs of what, who, and where restrictions on free access -- Hierarchy of levels of learning -- Data, information, opinion, knowledge, understanding -- Wisdom separate -- Implications of format differences -- Nine methods of subject searching -- Patterns in inefficient searches -- 1. Initial overviews : encyclopedias -- Characteristics of encyclopedias -- Specialized vs. general encyclopedias -- Examples -- How to find articles in specialized encyclopedias -- Cross-disciplinary searching -- How to identify additional specialized encyclopedias -- Peculiar strengths of general sets -- 2. Subject headings and the library catalog -- Problems in determining the right subject headings -- Uniform heading -- Scope-match specificity and its modifications -- Specific entry -- Four ways to find the right subject headings -- Cross-references -- Alphabetically adjacent terms -- Subject tracings -- Browse displays of subdivisions -- Recognition vs. prior specification -- Use of three menu listings -- Precoordination and postcoordination -- Particularly useful subdivisions -- Miscellaneous tips on subject headings -- Narrowing a topic -- Proper names -- Finding foreign language books -- Pattern headings --
3. General browsing, focused browsing, and use of classified bookstacks -- Alternative methods of shelving book collections -- The problems with shelving by accession number, by height, or in remote warehouses -- Serendipity and recognition -- General browsing vs. focused browsing -- Full-text searching and depth of access -- Lighthouse libraries example -- Searching for a single word -- Valery and Dreyfus example -- Inadequacy of Google Print as a replacement for classified bookstacks -- The complementary relationship of the library catalog and the classified bookstacks -- The catalog as the index to the classification scheme -- Trade-offs and remedies -- Exploiting the internal structure of the cataloging system -- The problems that result when the system is ignored -- Browsing in other contexts -- Importance of full texts of books arranged in subject groupings --
4. Subject headings and indexes to journal articles -- Descriptors -- Separate thesauri -- Descriptor fields in online records -- Eureka databases -- Browse search feature -- FirstSearch databases and WilsonWeb counterparts -- Related subjects search feature -- Contrast of Eureka and FirstSearch softwares -- EBSCO host research databases -- Search features -- Dialog and DataStar databases -- ProQuest databases -- Miscellaneous databases with controlled descriptors -- Cross-disciplinary searching -- Finding where journals are indexed and which journals are available electronically -- Identifying the best journals -- Problems with abbreviations of journal titles -- The change in cataloging rules for serials -- 5. Keyword searches -- Problems with controlled searches -- Advantages of controlled vocabularies -- Problems with keyword searches -- Advantages of keywords -- Index-Abstract-level keyword databases and printed sources -- Full-text databases -- Convenience vs. quality of access -- ProQuest databases -- EBSCO host research databases - InfoTrac databases -- JSTOR -- Project Muse -- LexisNexis -- Web sites on the open Internet -- Search engines -- Subject directories -- Invisible web sites -- Google Print project -- Summary --
6. Citation searches -- Finding where a known source has been footnoted by a subsequent journal article -- ISI indexes -- Web of Science -- Cross-disciplinary coverage -- Cycling sources -- "Reviews" of journal articles -- Additional features of ISI indexes -- Citation searching in other databases -- 7. Related record searches -- Finding articles that have footnotes in common with a starting-point article -- Examples -- Differences between CD-ROM versions and Web of Science -- 8. Higher-level overviews : review articles -- "Literature review" or "state of the art" assessments -- Differences from book reviews and encyclopedia articles -- Web of Science "review" limit capability -- Other sources of literature reviews -- 9. Published bibliographies -- Differences from computer printouts of sources -- Doing Boolean combinations without a computer -- Two problems in identifying published bibliographies -- Bibliographies not shelved with regular books -- Subdivision "- Bibliography" can be missed in library catalog -- Finding bibliographies via the library catalog -- Finding bibliographies in Z class shelving area -- Other sources for finding bibliographies -- Guides to the literature -- Bibliographies not superseded by computer sources --
10. Boolean combinations and search limitations -- Boolean combinations -- Component word searching within controlled subject strings -- Word truncation -- Proximity searches -- Limitations of sets -- Limiting by time periods -- Limiting by geographic area codes -- Limiting by document types -- Combining keywords and citation searches -- Boolean combinations without computers -- Precoordinated headings and browse displays -- Published subject bibliographies -- Focused shelf-browsing -- How to identify which databases exist -- 11. Locating material in other libraries -- Determining library locations of desired items -- WorldCat, RLG Union Catalog, National Union Catalog of Pre-1956 Imprints -- Other union lists and databases -- Web sites for identifying out-of-print books for sale -- Determining which libraries have special collections on your subject -- Interlibrary loan and document delivery -- 12. People sources -- Journalists and academics -- Inhibiting assumptions -- "Find it on your own" -- Advantages of people sources -- Listservs and discussion groups online -- Techniques for students -- Sources for identifying experts -- Associations and directories -- How to talk to reference librarians --
13. Hidden treasures -- Resources not shelved or cataloged with conventional research materials -- Microform sets and counterpart Web sites -- Web collections -- Government documents -- Particular importance of Congressional hearings -- Archives, manuscripts, and public records -- 14. Special subjects and formats -- Biography -- Book reviews -- Business and economics -- Copyright status information -- Genealogy and local history -- Illustrations, pictures, and photographs -- Literary criticism -- Maps -- Newspapers -- Out-of-print and secondhand books -- Primary sources -- Standards and specifications -- Statistics -- Tabular data -- Tests (psychological and educational) -- Translations -- 15. Reference sources : searching by types of literature -- Reference questions vs. research questions -- Review of search techniques for research questions -- Type of literature searches -- Internet sources for fact searches -- Coverage of the various types of literature -- Understanding the formal properties of retrieval systems -- The discipline of library and information science -- Sources for identifying types of literature in any subject area -- Concluding thoughts -- Appendix : Wisdom -- Index
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