ENG 115--Technical Writing

Conducting Research Into Published Sources

Rule #1: When in doubt, ask a librarian or other information specialist.

Rule #2: All data are not created equal. Some are false (erroneous). Some are misleading. Some are "cherry-picked" (i.e. unsupportive data have been excluded). Some are irrelevant. Some are dated. Just because the information is in a library, in a book, in an article, on the Internet, doesn't mean that it's correct.

• Is the author known and regarded as an expert and reliable in this field? Does his/her name appear in the background literature of a topic?
• Is the information current? Check the copyright date in a book or the date of publication in an article.
• Is the information verified by others? Look for verfication by other sources.
• What are the ethical obligations of my research? When have I conducted enough research? How much am I ethically obliged to research opposing views, hypotheses, or conclusions? What responsibility do I have to my readers for taking account of contesting information?

  And please don't forget . . .

   

• When in doubt, ask a librarian or other information specialist.

   

  There are numerous sources of information, most of which are available in libraries. Not all libraries are created equal, however. Local branch libraries differ in the size and quality of their collections. Our college's library has been hampered by poor funding and so its collections are limited. You can also access its on-line catalog of holdings.  The college's library also provides extensive links to periodical indexes and major research databases and to regional libraries.

  Old Dominion University , Christopher Newport University, and the College of William and Mary are research institutions, so their libraries are required to be very complete.   (See Rule #1: When in doubt, ask a librarian or other information specialist.)

  Reference rooms and reference librarians point you toward the sources of information that you need. But they are only stepping stones to the real goodies.

  The Internet has millions of information sites

  which means . . .

  Information Overload !

• When searching for information, be careful about the search terms that you use. In a library, subject headings are designated by the Library of Congress and are contained in four big volumes. Make sure that you use the LOC subject headings. In many libraries and on the World Wide Web, you can use keywords in your search. Keywords, however, are not subject headings. The more keywords you use for a single search, the smaller the number of "hits" you will find as a result.
• See Rule #1: When in doubt, ask a librarian or other information specialist.

  When "browsing" the World Wide Web, you use a search engine, which is a kind of electronic index. Some search engines specialize in certain kinds of Web sites. And just because a site is listed in a search engine doesn't mean that the site even still exists or that it is reliable. Remember any idiot can build and maintain a Web site, which means that a lot of idiots have posted unreliable information on the Internet.

  Learn to read sites critically. The World-Wide Web is not a library; it is a bulletin board onto which anyone can stick anything. Review Web materials carefully and critically.

   

• When in doubt, ask a librarian or other information specialist.
• I use a collective search engine called Netsearch that pools together nearly a dozen search engines. (It also has the advantage of being a rival to the execrable Microsoft monopoly.) Google is also useful and comprehensive.
• However, my favorite new tool is a piece of software called Copernic, which also searches several engines.  You can download a simple version free from their Web site: http://www.copernic.com/

  I wish you many fascinating hours in your researches. And don't forget . . .

  When in doubt, ask a librarian or other information specialist.

  [Email Dr. Long]