Chapter 8 & 9

Chapter 8: Exploring Electronic and Hard Copy Sources

Hard copy: 

Benefits- organized, accurate, easy to preserve and keep secure

Drawbacks- time-consuming, offers only text and images, harder to update (not as current)

Electronic:

Benefits- more current and accessible, searches can be narrowed or broadened, can offer material that hard copy can’t

            Drawbacks- not always reliable and user might get lost

Internet sources:

·         Newspapers and magazines (some information only available online)

·         Government sites (can be local)

·         Community discussion groups and bulletin boards (see other views on topics)

·         Blogs (opinions, ideas, online way for discussion)

·         Wikis (community encyclopedia anyone can edit)

·         Email lists (information be sent to you about a certain topic)

·         Library chatrooms (can talk to librarians and ask questions)

·         Library databases searchable via the internet (search for books, find multiple sources for information on    your topic fast)

·         Other websites (just remember to evaluate carefully)

Researching on the internet (guidelines): 

Select the right keywords, limit your results from one search engine, save or print what you need, download legally and only what you need, and credit all sources.

Intranets (inside the company)

Extranets (intranet that is accessible by wider audience)

Other electrical sources include CDs and Online retrieval services (databases)

Hard Copy (solid information)

Reference work:  (to check if it is current, look at copyright date)

• ·         Bibliographies
• ·         Encyclopedias
• ·         Dictionaries
• ·         Handbooks
• ·         Almanacs
• ·         Directories

Card catalog- (most electronic these days) this allows viewers to know the works that the library includes

Guides to literature- serves as a guide to lead you in the right direction

Indexes- serve as a list on a topic

• ·         Book indexes
• ·         Newspaper indexes
• ·         Periodical indexes
• ·         Citation indexes
• ·         Technical report indexes
• ·         Patent indexes
• ·         Indexes to conference proceedings

Abstracts (summary, saves time)

Access tools for U.S. Government publications (maps, manuals, and other info)

Microforms (allows a great deal of information to be stored in a small containers)

Copyrighted- allows people to use works without crediting it themselves.

Chapter 9: Exploring Primary Sources

Primary sources are firsthand study of a topic.  Interviews are great primary sources.

Guidelines for Interviews:

·         Know exactly what your trying to find out

·         Learn all you can about the person

·         Can you direct quote a person?

·         When preparing the questions, make them simple, clear, and specific

·         Save difficult, or sensitive questions for last

·         Be organized

·         Explain how the information will be used

·         Respect their views and allow them to talk, while you listen

·         If clarification is need, ask

·         Make sure major points are understood

·         Have follow up questions

·         Keep note taking to a minimum

·         Add closing comments

·         Contact information

·         Ask if they would like to review the version of the internet for accuracy

·         Write a complete summary as soon as possible

Surveys and Questionnaires are an inexpensive way to obtain information.  Sometimes people are more truthful because they are anonymous. 

Survey

·         What is being measured in the survey

·         What population should you survey (the larger and more random, the more dependable the results)

·         What type of data will be collected

·         Type of survey (in person, by mail, by phone, sheet of paper, etc.)

Questionnaire

·         Types of questions (open-ended, close-ended)

·         Make questions unambiguous

·         Avoid biased questions

·         Make it simple and short

·         Review your questionnaire before giving them

Public records and organizational publications might answer questions that are tough.

Personal observation and experiments should be final step because now you know what you’re looking for and can make your own interpretations. Taking photos or drawing sketches can also help you when you’re looking back on your observations.