Synopses & Reviews
Let a general Reference Librarian at the Library of Congress show you the best ways to find the information you need.
With all the changes in information storage and retrieval, anyone doing research today may feel unsure of the most efficient ways to use the library. Through clear explanations of nine fundamental methods of searching, Thomas Mann provides an overview of little known but powerful strategies used by librarians and information specialists. These techniques can be applied profitably to almost any area of research, from discovering business records or government documents to unearthing manuscripts in archives or finding genealogical Web sites on line. Chapters explain how to take advantage of controlled vocabularies, browse library shelves systematically, construct keyword searches, use published bibliographies, and even make personal contacts with knowledgeable people. Throughout, Mann enlivens his advice with real world examples, positing along the way some energetic and reasoned arguments against those theorists who have prematurely announced the demise of print. Against the trendy but mistaken assumption that "everything" can be found on the Internet, Mann asserts the lasting value of physical libraries and time tested research strategies, while acknowledging the complementary applications of computer technology. All formats--including books, journals, newspapers, microforms, audiovisual materials, primary documents, bibliographic databases, and digital libraries on the World Wide Web--are considered for their unique advantages, as well as for their limitations.
Required reading for students, scholars, information seeking professionals, and laypersons, The Oxford Guide to Library Research offers a rich, inclusive overview of the field, one that can save its readers countless hours in the search for information.
Review
"Mann's exceptionally intelligent, succinct, and practical guide will become essential for novices as well as experienced scholars. He adroitly combines up-to-date expertise in electronic sources with reassuring mastery of traditional methods."--Robert Parks, Robert H. Taylor Curator of Autograph Manuscripts, The Pierpont Morgan Library
"Of great use and enlightenment to anyone with a scholarly, professional, commercial, or recreational interest in research into any field, and also to both students and practitioners of librarianship. This is the only book that combines (very successfully) elements of reference work and of the organization and retrieval of knowledge and information. It is highly accessible to the general reader as well as being the authority for those in library and related fields wishing to add to their skills and understanding."--Michael Gorman, President, American Library Association
"This insightful, timely work deserves a place in every researcher's toolkit. Thomas Mann expertly assesses the myriad resources available to scholars in the digital age, while at the same time arguing for the continuing, crucial role of the library as the repository of all human knowledge."--Paul LeClerc, President of the New York Public Library
Review
"This insightful, timely work deserves a place in every researcher's toolkit. Thomas Mann expertly assesses the myriad resources available to scholars in the digital age, while at the same time arguing for the continuing, crucial role of the library as the repository of all human knowledge."--Paul LeClerc, President of the New York Public Library
Review
and#8220;The work of a master researcher who recalls in illuminating detail how he and his students over the last thirty years went about solving a large number of empirical and theoretical research problems. He systematizes these memories into usable advice and lays out a multistage plan for successful scholarship that meets very rigorous demands. Without a hint of trendiness, this manual will reliably guide novice scholars into a new world of materials for study and will help their mentors keep up as well. An indispensable guide for serious humanistic study in the future.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;There is justified concern today about information overload, poor writing skills, and the decline of library research in the digital age. We are fortunate that Andrew Abbott comes to the rescue with a manual for writing a research paper using the tools of the modern library. Avoiding hype and cutting to the essential qualities of good research design, he shows the reader how to harness new technology while upholding the highest standards of research. The result is a joy to read and will be a boon for students. Even veterans of the trade will find much to like.and#8221;
Review
"I can honestly say that every student, professor, and intellectual needs to read [Digital Paper]. Itand#8217;s a superb and#8216;how toand#8217; guide about writing a long research paper or thesis. But itand#8217;s more than that. Itand#8217;s an entire theory of how scholars pursue scholarship. Itand#8217;s a memoir of Abbottand#8217;s own research. Itand#8217;s a pessimistic and slightly misanthropic ode to a quiet world of well-ordered card catalogs destroyed by the garish vulgarity of online databases. Itand#8217;s an epigrammatic summary of a careerand#8217;s worth of knowledge. It isand#8212;yes, I really mean thisand#8212;life-affirming."
Review
andquot;With illuminating examples from social science and humanities research, and with self-deprecating humor, Abbott develops an economic model describing tradeoffs between searching and reading. . . . Essential.andquot;
Synopsis
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 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 thelasting 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.
Synopsis
Todayand#8217;s researchers have access to more information than ever before. Yet the new material is both overwhelming in quantity and variable in quality. How can scholars survive these twin problems and produce groundbreaking research using the physical and electronic resources available in the modern university research library? In
Digital Paper, Andrew Abbott provides some much-needed answers to that question.
Abbott tells what every senior researcher knows: that research is not a mechanical, linear process, but a thoughtful and adventurous journey through a nonlinear world.and#160;He breaks library research down into seven basic and simultaneous tasks: design, search, scanning/browsing, reading, analyzing, filing, and writing. He moves the reader through the phases of research, from confusion to organization, from vague idea to polished result. He teaches how to evaluate data and prior research; how to follow a trail to elusive treasures; how to organize a project; when to start over; when to ask for help. He shows how an understanding of scholarly values, a commitment to hard work, and the flexibility to change direction combine to enable the researcher to turn a daunting mass of found material into an effective paper or thesis.
More than a mere and#160;how-to manual, Abbottand#8217;s guidebook helps teach good habits for acquiring knowledge, the foundation of knowledge worth knowing. Those looking for ten easy steps to a perfect paper may want to look elsewhere. But serious scholars, who want their work to stand the test of time, will appreciate Abbottand#8217;s unique, forthright approach and relish every page of Digital Paper.
About the Author
Andrew Abbott is the Gustavus F. and Ann M. Swift Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. He edits the American Journal of Sociology and his books include The System of Professions, Department and Discipline, Chaos of Disciplines, and Time Matters, all published by the University of Chicago Press.
Table of Contents
To the Reader
1and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Introduction
2and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A Library Ethnography
3and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Fundamentals
4and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The Preliminary Phase
5and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Midphase Bibliography
6and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Midphase Scanning, Browsing, and Brute Force
7and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Reading
8and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Midphase Files and Organization
9and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Midphase Analysis
10and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Midphase Writing
11and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Midphase Design
12and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Endphase
Glossaryand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Index
and#160;