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The College Student's Research Companion by Arlene Rodda Quaratiello; Jane DevineMost students faced with writing a research paper probably start at the same place--Google. Here's a cutting-edge guide that will save your students from fruitless, random web searching. Arlene Quartiello, formerly an academic librarian who now teaches college English, and Jane Devine, coauthor of Going Beyond Google, provide up-to-date guidance for using traditional and online sources. Students will learn to select a topic, effectively find and evaluate the best information in both print and electronic formats, and produce accurate and complete citations based on current versions of important styles guides and web resources. Each chapter includes exercises that reinforce the instruction and guidance. A companion website accompanies this new edition to give readers hot links for all of the book's URLs, and supplementary materials including additional exercises and examples that help clarify how to apply the techniques. Written in an easy, breezy style and filled with real-world examples, illustrative diagrams, and screen shots, this is the ideal guide for anyone aspiring to write an excellent research paper on their own or following this text in a research skills or information literacy course.
The Oxford Guide to Library Research by Thomas MannWith 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 Library Research, 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 shows readers 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 contacts with 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 of computer 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 those theorists 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 their topics.