Thomas Mann, "The Oxford Guide to Library Research (3rd Edition)"

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 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.

Contents

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Preface 1 Initial Overviews: Encyclopedias 2 Subject Headings and the Library Catalog  Uniform Heading  Scope-Match Specificity and Its Modifications  Specific Entry  Four Ways to Find the Right Subject Headings  Precoordination and Postcoordination  Miscellaneous Tips on Subject Headings 3 General Browsing, Focused Browsing, and Use of Classified Bookstacks  The Complementary Relationship of the Library Catalog and the Classified Bookstacks  Browsing in Other Contexts 4 Subject Headings and Indexes to Journal Articles  Eureka Databases  FirstSearch Databases and WilsonWeb Counterparts  EBSCO Host Research Databases  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  Index / Abstract-Level Keyword Databases and Printed Sources  Full-Text Databases  ProQuest Databases  EBSCO Host Research Databases  InfoTrac Databases  JSTOR  Project Muse  LexisNexis  Web Sites on the Open Internet 6 Citation Searches 7 Related Record Searches 8 Higher-Level Overviews: Review Articles 9 Published Bibliographies 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  How to Identify Which Databases Exist 11 Locating Material in Other Libraries  Determining Library Locations of Desired Items  Determining Which Libraries Have Special Collections on Your Subject  Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery 12 People Sources 13 Hidden Treasures  Microform Sets and Counterpart Web Sites  Web Collections  Government Documents  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 Spécifications  Statistics  Tabular Data  Tests (Psychological and Educational)  Translations 15 Reference Sources: Searching by Types of Literature Appendix: Wisdom Index

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Tags: Research, OnlineResearch

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